Public policy

As a course of action developed and/or executed, usually by a government, in response to societal concerns, public policy is an institutionalised plan to address relevant and real-world problems that is led by a conception and implemented through programmes. In addition to this wide term, public policy has been conceived in a number of different ways.

The "policy cycle" is a common method of learning and participating in public policy since it consists of a number of phases that can be broken down into smaller parts. The specific phases of the process may be described in many ways, but the general sequence is as follows: agenda setting – formulation – legitimation – implementation – assessment.

Officials who are regarded policymakers have a duty to represent the interests of a diverse range of stakeholders in their decisions. Policy design involves making a conscious and intentional effort to establish policy objectives and map them into a set of operational criteria. Academics and other professionals in the field of policy studies have created a variety of tools and methods to assist them in this endeavour.