Celebrating excellence: The 5th annual Analysis in Government (AiG) Awards

Nominations are now closed for the AiG Awards, and we’ve had a record-breaking year! The shortlist will be announced in December. Thank you to everyone who has submitted nominations and best of luck!

A message from Professor Sir Ian Diamond:

“Now in its fifth year, the Analysis in Government (AiG) Awards recognises and celebrates excellence in government analysis. It has been an eventful year, and I know there have been countless scenarios where analysts have made a hugely positive difference to the business of government and, subsequently, all of us as UK citizens.

There is so much important, innovative, and varied analysis taking place across the Civil Service, and last year’s winners show what a wide range of work members of the Analysis Function are engaged in. For example, undertaking outstanding work on harnessing the power of linked data and academic collaboration, developing a Crisis Data Liaison Officer (DLO) Network, noise modelling, and inspiring analysts across the government analysis community.

Nominations for the AiG Awards open in September. I will be one of the judges and am incredibly excited to finding out about the inspirational individuals and outstanding teams that you work with”. 

The fifth annual Analysis in Government Awards (AiG Awards) opens for nominations today (17 September 2024).  The AiG Awards recognise and celebrate the outstanding teams and inspirational individuals working in analysis, wherever they work in government.

Any civil servant is eligible to be nominated for an AiG Award.  Public sector and external teams may be recognised if they have collaborated with civil servants for the Collaboration Award. 

Nominating is quick and easy and closes on the newly extended deadline of Friday 1st November 2024: Analysis in Government Awards Nomination Form

Read more about last year’s winners: Announcing all winning entries in the Fourth Analysis in Government Awards

The award categories

Collaboration:

The Collaboration Award recognises collaboration between teams, departments, other professions and/or external organisations/researchers to deliver a piece of analysis or analytical project.

The winning entry will demonstrate:

• Collaboration which improved data and methods 
• Ways of working which enabled effective collaboration 
• Collaboration which enhanced insight and understanding of the findings of analysis
• Collaboration with stakeholders, such as other analytical professions, other teams in your department, other government departments, organisations outside government, topic and method experts, policy professionals, producers of related analysis, international organisations and researchers

Communication:

The Communication Award recognises clear and successful presentation and dissemination of analysis using commentary, visualisations, interactives, social media and so on.  This could include communicating with the general public, to specialist audiences, within teams, or across government departments and/or professions

The winning entry will demonstrate:

• Use of innovative methods of communicating and disseminating analysis
• Ensuring accessibility is at the heart of communicating the results of analysis
• Presenting analysis clearly and in a way that is meaningful to the audience
• Demonstrating that the needs of different types of users and potential users were considered when determining how the analysis should be communicated

Impact:

The Impact Award recognises analysis which has had a positive impact, influenced decision-making and/or contributed to public debate

The winning entry will demonstrate:

• Evidencing a link between the analysis undertaken and the positive impact.  Is there evidence to show that the analysis influenced a policy decision, avoided risks or improved operational delivery?
• The nature and significance of the impact from the users’ point of view
• The nominated team were pro-active in ensuring the analysis has impact
• New analysis being developed to meet an identified knowledge or information gap
• Measurable, delivered impact will be considered more effective by the judges than anticipated or future ‘potential’ impact.

Inclusion:

The Inclusion Award recognises an outstanding contribution in making the Analysis Function a more inclusive Function, reflective of the citizens we serve or an outstanding contribution in producing analysis on diversity or inclusion.

The winning entry will demonstrate one or more of the following criteria

• Developing or delivering outstanding analysis on a diversity or inclusion subject matter
• Making improvements in the way we analyse and understand diversity and inclusion data
• Acting as a role model and championing the development of colleagues from different backgrounds and perspectives
• Bringing together unique viewpoints from across their team, department and/or the Analysis Function
• Building an inclusive culture by challenging inequalities, barriers, and bias to reflect a wider range of experience
• Demonstrating how a real and measurable positive impact has come about due to their interventions or actions

Innovative Methods:

This award recognises innovative methods of analysis.

The winning entry will demonstrate:

• Innovative analytical methods and techniques used
• Methods which led to new insight, answered complex questions, or improved efficiency
• The strengths and limitations of the methods used were considered, and communicated effectively to users
• Feedback from peer reviewers and experts was invited and acted upon to refine the methods
• This work may include innovative usage of data sharing, such as through the Integrated Data Service (IDS).

Professor Sir Ian Diamond ‘Rising Star’ Award:

The Professor Sir Ian Diamond Rising Star Award recognises the potential of an individual in the earlier stages of their career as a government analyst (the first five years), who has gone above and beyond what would be expected for an analyst of their experience, and/or who has championed the importance of analysis. Nominees for the Rising Star Award can be in grades up to and including G7 and can be of any profession or age.

The winning entry will demonstrate:

• The nominee’s potential to excel in their future career
• Positive contributions which have exceeded expectations
• Enthusiasm, passion, and drive for analysis
• Ways of working that inspire the next generation of government analysts
• Taking a holistic view of the nominee – their work, relationships with others, qualities that will help them flourish.