Stretching the Web
This tool was developed with the aim of helping staff to integrate Sustainable Development into their policy making as well as project or programme work. The web is a simple graphic, which takes its questions from the Specific Impact Tests full checklist part of the Better Regulation Executive Impact Assessment (IA).
Users rank their policy outcomes which are then displayed as a simple web which allows for the easy identification of ‘bites’ or negative impacts of the policy. This enables policy makers to identify areas for further work e.g research or engagement with partners to continue to develop the policy. The IA is mandatory within Government for all policy development
Creating your policy web
Creating a web for your policy can increase its contribution to sustainable development by allowing you to:
- prepare for the specific impact tests section of the Impact Assessment (IA). It contains questions that relate to a policy’s social, environmental and economic impacts.
- develop analytical skills and an awareness of wider impacts by encouraging participants to think about how their policy or project impacts on a range of issues.
- compare policy options according to their impacts
- identify where further research is needed
To start creating your policy web, click on the button below.
How it works
This Flash movie demonstrates how the web works. Each question in the IA checklist becomes a 'spoke' of the web. The joining strands are created by joining up the self-assessed ‘score’ for each question, from -2 (very negative impact) to +2 (very positive impact).
The purpose of the web is to provide a graphical representation of the impacts of your policy or project. Many policymakers think of sustainable development as a ‘trade-off’ or ‘balance’ between economic, environmental and social impacts. In fact, we should think of it as ‘stretching the web’ – mitigating negative impacts, and increasing positive impacts.
Page last modified: 24 October 2007