By Arnaldo Pellini, Tanty Nurhayati Djafar and Ni Wayan Suriastini
This working paper reflects on the experience of SurveyMETER, a policy research institute based in the Yogyakarta, in testing the use of episode studies to describe a policy influence and policy engagement process that SurveyMETER had been leading. Episode studies are one of the tools that can help policy research organizations and think tanks to document the uptake of their research work and/or the degree to which the evidence they have produced has informed policy processes and policy actors.
A key lesson from the experience of SurveyMETER is that the investment of time and resources to produce the episode studies is the result of the intent and commitment from the leadership of the organisation to learn about what works and what does not in their policy engagement and policy influence activities.