Our Services

The members of the OTT Consulting Team include experts in all aspects of the evidence informed policymaking field. Our team is based across the world and we can therefore provide context specific advice.

We work with national and international policymaking bodies, foundations, bilateral and multilateral agencies, universities, policy research centres or think tanks, networks and the private sector to understand and promote the appropriate generation, communication and use of evidence to inform decisions of public interest.

Research

Our research is conducted by working in collaboration with long term partners and associates. We value the importance of local knowledge and work hard to deliver its promise. We also pay attention in choosing the most appropriate methods for the purpose of the studies. We:

  • Undertake studies of the political economy and social and cultural aspects of the generation, communication and use of evidence in an organisation, sector  or country.
  • Undertake research on political knowledge regimes, research systems, think tanks, their challenges, etc.
  • Map think tanks in a particular country, region or sector.

For instance:

Monitoring, evaluation and learning

Our work in MEL is informed by continuous learning within OTT. We believe that evaluations must offer opportunities for learning, above all, and this requires a careful selection of the most appropriate methods and a creative and brave effort to communicate and engage with all relevant stakeholders throughout the process. As such we are constantly innovating with new methods and means of communication, including the use of video and non-linear reporting. We:

  • Carry out evaluations and institutional assessments of policy research organisations and funding or support programmes.
  • Work with both funders and grantees to develop the most appropriate monitoring, evaluation and learning framework for all.
  • Evaluate and review funders’ strategies and their grantees to help inform future support efforts.

For instance:

Strategy consultation, development and refresh

We take a wide approach to strategic development and refresh. We consider personal and organisational trajectories as well as the impact of the external environment on strategic development and refresh processes; we appreciate the importance of evidence in informing strategic development as well as the role that politics, interests and emotions play in any process of change. We:

  • Facilitate strategic planning processes for organisations, programmes, teams and projects.
  • Help design and set-up new think tanks or policy research centres or networks -and even facilitate them.
  • Help design and deliver consultation processes with grantees, partners and other stakeholders
  • Help develop and deliver fundraising, research and communication strategies.

For instance:

Ongoing support for better informed decision making and communication

We recognise that foundations, think tanks and other evidence and policy organisations face multiple challenges. This often means that they require extended workbenches to deliver their mandates successfully. OTT is able to provide long term support to our partners through bespoke services through which we:

  • Design and produce public policy and think tank events (series, ideally) and learning conferences.
  • Support funders in their efforts to communicate with their grantees and support their grantees in an ongoing basis.
  • Provide rapid research and analysis on emerging issues to enhance funders’ capacity to keep up to date with the latest research and researchers on issues and sectors of interest – we pay particular attention to evidence from local sources.
  • Provide ongoing support to help develop, implement, monitor and reflect on organisational strategy.
  • Offer ongoing reflection and insights to funders interested in improving their understanding of the impact that their funding has on their grantees – through OTT’s Funders Circle.

For instance:

Personal and organisational development support

We work with individuals and their teams to develop and enhance their competencies and skills to deliver sustainable and relevant institutions. Our global network of associates allows us to respond and work with partners across the world. We:

  • Help organisations develop approaches to identify, assess and use credible evidence for decision making.
  • Undertake health checks: organisational, communications, research capacity, M&E, and transparency and integrity.
  • Develop bespoke training programmes and courses on evidence informed policy and policy entrepreneurship.
  • Mentor think tank leaders and future leaders.

For instance:

Find out more by reviewing our projects.

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