Issues in policy implementation: Tests of feasibility and its use by policymakers

Abstract

Currently, policy within Dutch government often faces issues within implementation, resulting in unsatisfactory governance. Aiming to counter this, RWS WVL-BNUB offers tests of feasibility, which assess feasibility of policy proposed by IenW. However, these tests are insufficiently utilised by policymakers working at IenW. Using the BCW and COM-B Model of Behaviour, a behavioural diagnosis and intervention strategy development aimed to investigate the problem behaviour and to create suitable strategies to help counter this behaviour. Ten policymakers, working at IenW, were interviewed by means of semi-structured interviews. Analysis of their experiences with tests of feasibility led to a behavioural diagnosis in which several barriers within the COMB-B components psychological capability, physical opportunity, and social opportunity were identified. Based on this behavioural diagnosis, four intervention functions, three policy categories, two BCTs, and two modes of delivery were deemed promising in achieving behaviour change. Further development is necessary to transform the intervention strategies into actual interventions, which will be done in collaboration with WVL-BNUB. The objective of these future interventions is to facilitate policymakers in achieving the desired behaviour, using tests of feasibility and to consequently improve policy implementation and results.