Public Leadership Credential

Evidence for Decisions:

From Descriptions to Decisions COURSE A OUTLINE
Descriptive evidence is essential to understanding issues and making informed decisions. This course equips you with
methods and skills to help understand the world, from descriptions to decisions. You will learn to leverage descriptive
evidence, use analytical methods for complex problem-solving, and weigh net benefits of decisions. The course
focuses on systematic methods to analyze choices and trade-offs of policy options.

Topic Content Assignments

Primer on the basics of descriptive Individual assignments

evidence and basic descriptive • Descriptive data assignment
Week 1

statistics • Discussion
Understanding the
World Five principles for use of descriptive Group assignments
evidence • Synchronous hour meeting
• Group data comparison

Economic models as a way to Individual assignments

simplify and understand the world • Quiz
• Discussion
Tradeoffs: Making Modeling and reasoning about
Week 2

individual tradeoffs with graphs to Group assignments

Decisions Under visualize production, preferences, • Synchronous hour meeting
Scarcity indifference, and optimal choice • Group exercise

Modeling societal tradeoffs with

external effects

Making tradeoffs for a social Individual assignments

program under scarce resources • Case analysis
• Quiz
Analysis of data and options for
Week 3

social program targeting, and Group assignments

Tradeoffs: Mexico
additional considerations of • Synchronous hour meeting
Pensions Case efficiency, feasibility, logistics, and • Group case analysis
politics

Tool: Leakage and undercoverage

rate calculations
 Topic Content Assignments

The role of uncertainty in making Individual assignments

decisions and how asymmetric • Decision analysis assignment
information plays a part in • Discussion
Week 4

uncertainty
Making Decisions as
Group assignments
Individuals Decision analysis and factors of • Synchronous hour meeting
options, probabilities, and payoffs • Group decision analysis

Tool: Decision trees

Allocation of scarce resources for Individual assignments

citizen wellbeing and policy • Cumulative test - 3 parts, timed
tradeoffs • Case analysis
Week 5

Making Decisions
for Policy Behavioral uncertainties of target Group assignments
populations • Synchronous hour meeting
• Group case analysis
Tool: Decision trees

Quantifying the impact of a program Individual assignments

or policy • Quiz
Weighing Costs and
Week 6

• Discussion
Benefits of Distribution of costs and benefits
for a global problem Group assignments
Decisions
• Synchronous hour meeting
Tool: Cost-benefit analysis • Group test part 3

Materials
All course materials will be provided each week, including videos, readings, and assignment templates.

This course uses global examples from across sectors to help you develop your capacity for descriptive evidence.
Examples include Mexico pensions for the elderly, Oregon Medicaid insurance, global education data, and net
benefits of a US energy policy.

Scoring
You will not receive a letter grade in this course. Instead you will receive Pass or No Pass based on your performance.
A small percentage of exceptional performers are recognized with Pass with Distinction. Scoring weights:
40% - Individual assignments and quizzes 15% - Participation
20% - Group assignments 5% - Community credit
20% - Cumulative test

Course Policies
See onlinelearning.hks.harvard.edu for full FAQs.

2020.01.15