Evidence is a critical part of the decision-making process within the Civil Service. It helps people to understand policy problems and needs, spot opportunities, assess what works and make judgments about a course of action. However, using evidence can be challenging. It is often hard to access and commission, slow to produce and findings are of variable quality. To use evidence effectively, those working within the Civil Service need to be equipped to understand what good, and good enough, evidence really means when it comes to making decisions in government.

Since 2015, Nesta has been an approved supplier for the Civil Service Learning (CSL), now the Government Campus Curriculum. This project delivers our Quality of Evidence, Uncertainty and Risk course, which draws from what works in adult learning strategies to provide an interactive learning experience for civil servants. The course helps participants to use evidence in their day-to-day work and to become smart consumers of research. It is designed to help build confidence in assessing, compiling, assimilating, interpreting and presenting a strong evidence base. In practice, this means everything from choosing the most appropriate research method, to communicating evidence in the most accessible way. The course uses a number of simulation activities and practical examples to enable participants to experience real decision making and the challenges of using evidence, as well as supporting individuals to reflect, learn and develop their competence by problem solving with peers.