Elements and Performance Criteria
- Anticipate and confirm the need for policy development or review
- Internal and external factors, issues, events, directions or government/board policies likely to cause changes to organisation policy are identified
- The likely implications and impact of these factors that might require policy development are identified in consultation with stakeholders
- A critical analysis of the need for new or revised policy is conducted that includes a scan of the wider internal and external environment, that checks related policies for context and identifies other policies likely to be impacted
- Priority areas for policy development/review are recommended in accordance with organisational procedures
- Confirmation of the need for policy development/review and supporting evidence is detailed in accordance with organisational procedures
- Plan the policy development process
- The approving authority is confirmed and organisational procedures and protocols for policy development are confirmed and applied
- Issues likely to impact on the policy development process are identified, analysed (in terms of risk) and addressed in policy development planning
- Policyrequirements are outlined in a policy development plan in accordance with organisational procedures
- Gather and analyse information for policy development
- Stakeholders are identified and engaged through the establishment and maintenance of a representative and relevant policy network
- Information required to support the policy development process is identified, gathered, analysed and interpreted
- An analytical framework for the development of the policy is determined and applied
- Determine policy direction
- A range of policy options and criteria for choice are developed and communicated in a timely and understandable way to those responsible for selecting the policy direction
- Where appropriate, specific policy options are promoted to executive within the organisation
- Preferred policy option is recommended and risk treatments are determined in accordance with the policy development plan
- Approvals/endorsements are obtained in accordance with the policy development plan and organisational procedures
- Draft policy
- Policy is drafted and a cyclical process of consultation, feedback, identification of changes and re-drafting is implemented in accordance with the policy development plan
- Risk management processes are implemented in accordance with the policy development plan to ensure progress of the process against the timeframe and milestones
- An implementation plan is included in the policy that details responsibilities for implementation and strategies for transition, change management, initial and ongoing training and maintenance of the policy
- Mechanisms for monitoring compliance with the policy, quality assurance of the policy, and evaluation of the policy are included within the policy
- The policy is developed in accordance with organisational requirements for style, format and contents
- Release and promote policy
- Policy is cleared through organisational channels, and agreement of critical stakeholders is gained in accordance with organisational procedures
- All stakeholders, particularly those who will be responsible for implementing the new or revised policy, are fully informed of the outcomes, and fallout from dissenting stakeholders is managed in accordance with the policy development plan
- The policy is released and promoted in accordance with organisational requirements