Government Analysis Function > Analysis in Government Award categories

Analysis in Government Award categories

The Analysis in Government Awards (AiG Awards) take place annually to recognise and celebrate excellence in government analysis.  The AiG Awards is open to all civil servants and colleagues working in non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs).  Colleagues working elsewhere, including in academia, may be recognised in the Collaboration category where they have collaborated with civil servants on the nominated work.

Here are the criteria for all six categories in the AiG Awards.

Collaboration

This award celebrates a person or team who has collaborated between teams, departments, other professions, external organisations or researchers to produce 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, or international organisations and researchers 

Communication

This award celebrates those who have successfully used clear communications to present analysis, considering needs of the audience. This could be an example of public-facing or internal communication within teams, departments or across 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 

This award will recognise analysis which has made an impact through use, influenced decision-making 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 outcomes? 
  • 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 

Inclusion 

This award recognises an outstanding contribution in making the Analysis Function a more inclusive Function that is reflective of the citizens we serve, or an outstanding contribution in producing analysis on diversity or inclusion. 

The winning entry will demonstrate: 

  • developing or producing 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, 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 or techniques 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)

The Professor Sir Ian Diamond Rising Star Award 

This is an award that will recognise a person who has displayed excellence in championing or promoting the Analysis Function. The winner of The Professor Sir Ian Diamond Rising Star Award will be someone in the first 5 years of their career as a government analyst who has gone above and beyond what would be expected for an analyst of their experience, or who has championed the importance of analysis. Nominees for the Rising Star Award can be in grades up to and including Grade 7 and can be of any profession or age. 

A winning entry will demonstrate:

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