Here's how you can effectively communicate economic information to policymakers.

As a public affairs strategist and economic diplomat for 17 years, I’ve worked with various policymakers in Egypt and across the region on international trade regulations and WTO's Blue Book rules. In Cairo, explaining these complex rules to a diverse group, I used analogies like comparing Blue Book rules to traffic laws, which simplified understanding for less experienced officials. I highlighted case studies to show the benefits of aligning national policies with WTO standards, sparking productive discussions. Tailoring my message to the audience's expertise proved essential for effective communication and collaboration.

Most times, the jargons are inevitable; they are what they are and there are no available substitutes. Fiscal policy is fiscal policy, but you must take time to explain what it is and not assume everyone in your audience understands you. Story telling: narratives that sparks interesting conversations and engagements; always a good way to engage a heterogeneous audience.

To effectively communicate economic information to policymakers, follow these strategies: understand your audience, use clear, simple language, provide context and relevance, focus on key messages, use visual aids, provide evidence-based analysis, anticipate questions and objections, engage in dialogue, present economic information objectively and nonpartisanly, and follow up with policymakers for additional clarification. These strategies help inform decision-making and contribute to sound public policy development.

Start with a more accurate title to your work. Rather than “How to communicate,” followed by advice on persuasion, be honest and admit that you are NOT presenting neutral analysis, but lobbying for a particular policy outcome: “Your goal is to inform and persuade…”

Come ready to KISS the policy makers; keep it short and simple (KISS). No one has time for the KILL ( keeping it long and lengthy). Having a good abstract is a good way to summarize the presentation into a synoptic overview, with work done and findings well summarized. On questions, you can now go on and KILL ( keep it long and lengthy) with the ones that showed more interest.

Not all policy makers are economists, so I would stay away from any economic jargons and use plain simple language. The key things that policy makers care about when it comes to economic information is the impact of it whether in terms of budget or benefits to the society. This makes the information easy to comprehend and communicate to public too.

Policymakers are not necessarily experts in economics and even policymakers with solid economics background maybe overwhelmed with so many political and social factors. Thus, regardless of the level of sophistication of the policymaker and the delicacy of the issue discussed, it all boils down to cost-benefit analysis. Though easily said, in reality calculating such costs and benefits is hard and doing a proper and balanced comparison is critical. Thus, simplifying such complex issues is critical to ensure the complex topics can be easily discussed and some reasonable decisions can be made.

Absolutely! This a critical theme in development communication where you have to tailor presentation and delivery to the needs of your audience. The basic issues of poverty, growth, health, inequality and right to make choices from alternatives are recurring themes economists use to drive home the point. Don't get too technical! Averages are preferred to extremes.

Linking economic information, analysis of data as well as economic interpretations to the policy-making cycle/process will help policymakers in utilizing the economic information effectively in the policy-making process. Starting from problem definition and prioritizing economic issues through presenting the relevant economic information that show case so. Economic data can be also used for monitoring and evaluation purposes in the implementation and follow-up phases of economic policymaking. Economic data used for tracking policy implementation can help policymakers revisit policy actions to amend actions in case things aren't on track.

One of the most important visual aids I’ll like to use when presenting to policy makers are the headings itself. Policy makers have tons of information to synthesize, so it’s important to be clear what you present to them. I like to use the slide headings as well as chart headings to help tell the story. Ideally, just reading all the slide headings gives you a great summary of the presentation and baits you to want to look at the charts and body of the slides. The charts chosen and their heading then provide further evidence to support the slide heading. This way, you ensure all your points are clearly conveyed.

Visualization is a good way to give good expression to a good impression. You cannot possibly describe all intricate features in words but a visual communicates it all in seconds. Visuals are a more engaging and effective way of having the attention of your audience and helping them understand your message.

Follow up is indispensable. By human nature, we are always in transient mode, so bygones always tend to be bygones, and procrastination a huge bane. This is where follow up comes in to secure commitment and see the project through.

Contextualizing economic information within the broader landscape of current events, historical trends, and global economic conditions is essential for policymakers to grasp its significance fully. Economic data and analysis can often seem abstract without understanding how they fit into the larger picture. Staying current with the latest economic developments and research findings is equally vital for effective policymaking. Economic conditions and policy debates evolve rapidly, and policymakers must be equipped with the most up-to-date information to respond effectively. Fostering collaboration among various stakeholders is fundamental to crafting effective economic policies that address the diverse needs and perspectives of society.

I've learned that real world examples of effectively communicating economic data to policymakers look more akin to contextualization rather than the translation of data/jargon to plain language. Policymakers aren't asking to hear simplifications of data (even if they themselves believe this is what they want), they are asking for *actionable* insight derived from the mess of jargon, nuance, and complexity where economists live. Knowing the true pain points of policymakers and executives in the marketplace will undoubtedly lead you to answering "why" rather than "what".