By Ryan P. Scott, Chris M. Messer, Adam Mayer and Tami C. Bond
In this article, the authors explore the concept of calibration in policy design, highlighting how policymakers adjust the scope and design policy interventions to match political, social, and administrative realities. Building on previous work, the authors argue that policies designed with multiple targets might have mechanisms of change quite different from the obvious mechanism of the most visible policy instrument.
Defining targets
The authors emphasise that calibration requires policymakers to navigate trade-offs between political and regulatory realities. For instance, regulators might demand performance improvements that are misaligned with stakeholder goals. Calibration thus provides a pathway towards balancing goals of multiple stakeholders and goals. In the case studied, calibration of accountability rules, which added additional targets to the policy, provided the bulk of regulatory benefits while the most obvious instrument, consumer-facing rebates, served stakeholder interests.
Implications for policy scholars
By foregrounding calibration, the authors highlight that the most visible policy instrument is not necessarily the main mechanism for driving outcomes. They argue that scholarly analyses should consider how small adjustments can significantly influence policy trajectories. This perspective challenges researchers to move past categorization of instruments alone and instead evaluate how calibration and specification drive likely impacts.
Contribution to policy scholarship
This article makes a valuable contribution by linking theoretical insights on policy design with practical considerations for implementation. For scholars of public policy, it underscores the importance of examining how policies are calibrated and who they target, not just the nature of the instrument and whether they succeed or fail.
You can read the original research in Policy & Politics at
Scott, R. P., Messer, C. M., Mayer, A., & Bond, T. C. (2026). Calibration in policy design: rethinking targets of energy-efficiency rebates. Policy & Politics (published online ahead of print 2026) from https://doi.org/10.1332/03055736Y2025D000000083 [Open Access]
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Cordoncillo Acosta, C., & Borrell-Porta, M. (2026). Fostering innovation through collaboration: a comparison of collaborative approaches to policy design. Policy & Politics, 54(1), 47-69 from https://doi.org/10.1332/03055736Y2024D000000058
Richardson, L., Durose, C., Kimbell, L., & Mazé, R. (2026). How do policy and design intersect? Three relationships. Policy & Politics, 54(1), 70-90 from https://doi.org/10.1332/03055736Y2025D000000072 [Open Access]
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