Improving Officials’ Use of Evidence in the Design and Implementation of Public Policy

We study whether structured, evidence-based information can shape local policymakers beliefs and stated intentions to adopt violence prevention interventions. Using a randomized experiment embedded in Colombia's national policy planning cycle, we exposed municipal officials to varying types of information about programs aimed at reducing violence against women. The information differed along two key dimensions: the strength of the underlying evidence (effective or inconclusive) and the inclusion of practical implementation guidance. We find that receiving information increased the expected effectiveness of interventions by 3.7 percentage points and raised willingness to implement by 0.15 points on a 14 scale. These effects were larger and more precisely estimated when the intervention had strong empirical support and when the information included concrete implementation guidance. Our findings suggest that actionable, credible information can meaningfully shift beliefs and policy intentions, especially when it helps officials evaluate both the relevance and feasibility of applying a program in their own context. The results contribute to growing evidence on information frictions in public administration, showing that policymakers are responsive to research when it is presented in a structured and practically useful format. Tailoring dissemination strategies to address local implementation needs may be key to encouraging evidence-informed policymaking.