Guidance

3 - Effective communication

Updated 20 December 2022

1. Communicating analytical findings

1.1 Level 1 - Awareness - Apprentice/Placement

• Displays an ability to use language (written and oral) which is clear, formal, structured, succinct and addresses the relevant issues.
• Demonstrates an ability to convey complicated economic concepts in a clear way.

1.2 Level 2 – Practitioner: HEO

• Demonstrates an ability to convey complicated economic concepts in a clear and intuitive way.
• Presents results confidently and clearly, with evidence of applying effective approaches (e.g., regressions, tables, charts, diagrams) to aid understanding.

1.3 Level 2 – Practitioner: SEO

• Actively seeks out new, insightful, and more inclusive ways to present and communicate findings.
• Demonstrates an ability to convey complicated economic concepts very simply and directly, using strong data visualisation techniques.

1.4 Level 3 – Expert: G7

• Effectively communicates the main findings from economic analysis in an inclusive way, bringing out the depths of analysis to colleagues and stakeholders from different backgrounds, using various written, data visualisation and oral channels.

1.5 Level 3 – Expert: G6

• Effectively and inclusively communicating the strategic implications, trade-offs, and dependencies based on teams’ economic analysis, in written and oral format, to colleagues and stakeholders from different backgrounds.

1.6 SCS

• Communicates inclusively with credibility and authority, conveying relevance and impact of presented evidence without overuse of specialist terminology.
• Reviews findings and recommendations of analytical work with senior officials and Ministers, communicating risks.
• Is able to convince Ministers on policy and economic implications of analysis.

2. Building relationships

2.1 Level 1 - Awareness - Apprentice/Placement

• Demonstrates a high level of professional integrity when working with customers and data users, developing trust in an inclusive way

2.2 Level 2 – Practitioner: HEO

• Works effectively in teams and with others, maintaining effective professional working relationships both internally and externally across organisations.

2.3 Level 2 – Practitioner: SEO

• Demonstrates an ability to bring together a team to work on an analytical project and seek input from a diverse range of people.

2.4 Level 3 – Expert: G7

• Builds relationships with senior colleagues to understand evidence needs, and with the analytical community to gather input and feedback on analysis and evidence development.

2.5 Level 3 – Expert: G6

• Builds relationships with senior colleagues to understand needs and convey key messages, including engaging with the wider analytical community to understand links between team’s analysis to others.
• Is able to identify and appreciate where the team has gaps in expertise, and then proactively builds relationships address them

2.6 SCS

• Builds, maintains and engages with a strong network of expert economists, drawing on this to lead economists and economic analysis in home department.

3. Communicating to technical and non-technical audience

3.1 Level 1 - Awareness - Apprentice/Placement

• Is expected to familiarise oneself with different methods of communication.

3.2 Level 2 – Practitioner: HEO

• Clearly communicates economic principles and concepts to non-economists.

3.3 Level 2 – Practitioner: SEO

• Demonstrates an ability to bring together a team to work on an analytical project and seek input from a diverse range of people.

3.4 Level 3 – Expert: G7

• Communicates with non-economists with credibility and authority, conveying the relevance and implications of economic concepts without the use of specialist terminology.
• Is able to tailor the details when communicating economic concepts and evidence, ensuring that it is appropriate to the needs of specialists and non-specialist audiences.

3.5 Level 3 – Expert: G6

• Communicates with non-economists with credibility and authority, conveying the relevance and implications of economic concepts without the use of specialist terminology.
• Contributes to events and conferences to educate and inspire as credible economics team leaders.
• Is able to prioritise details and communicate the most relevant ones effectively in a timely manner, ensuring that the needs of all audiences are considered.

3.6 SCS

• Is visible and shares skills and experience with analytical and wider community in department and across government (e.g., GES assessor).
• Contributes to events and conferences to educate and inspire and be seen as a credible economics leader.

4. Conveying analysis and wider context to key stakeholders and customers, including senior officials and Ministers

4.1 Level 1 - Awareness - Apprentice/Placement

• Is expected to familiarise oneself with key stakeholders and their requirements (e.g. 2-page preferences of some Ministers, etc).

4.2 Level 2 – Practitioner: HEO

• Drafts analysis for different stakeholders and understands the differences in communicating to them.

4.3 Level 2 – Practitioner: SEO

• Builds relationships to influence policy and operational colleagues.
• Demonstrates awareness of wider socio-economic and political contexts that might impact and influence the appropriate policy response.

4.4 Level 3 – Expert: G7

• Builds on effective relationships and communication to influence policy and operational colleagues, to ensure key findings, caveats and risks from analysis are communicated to senior officials and ministers.
• Demonstrates full awareness of and sensitivity to the wider socio-economic and political contexts that might impact and influence the appropriate policy response within and across own projects

4.5 Level 3 – Expert: G6

• Builds on effective relationships and communication to influence policy and operational colleagues, to ensure key findings, caveats and risks from analysis are communicated to and understood and appropriately used by senior officials and ministers.
• Demonstrates full awareness of and sensitivity to the wider socio-economic and political contexts that might impact and influence the appropriate policy response within and across work programmes.

4.6 SCS

• Delivers confident and engaging presentations of the analytical work to a wide audience, both internal and external.
• Able to distil and convey the key insights from economic analysis to senior officials and ministers.
• Communicates clearly and passionately the power of analysis and can influence widely.