How to turn research notes into a policy brief or staff report with AI

Paste only your own facts (inspection notes, cost quotes, budget) and ask for a standard structure with the recommendation left blank for staff. You get a draft report with gaps flagged, and the decision stays with a person.

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Who this is for

  • Policy analysts and staff who write council or board reports
  • Department heads who need an options memo from notes and quotes
  • Staff who spend hours on the structure of a report instead of the analysis

What you need before you start

  • The facts you will use: notes, quotes, figures and the available budget
  • Your organization's report sections or template
  • An AI tool approved for your material

Worked example: Draft a staff report on replacing playground structures from inspection notes and quotes

The input

Act as a policy analyst writing a staff report.
Context: Use only the facts below (fictional example): inspection summary, three cost quotes and the available budget.
Task: Draft a staff report.
Format: Purpose, Background, Options (with cost and pros and cons for each), Fiscal impact, Recommendation placeholder.
Limits: Do not add figures. Do not make a recommendation. Write [STAFF TO DECIDE] where the recommendation goes. Mark any gap with [INFORMATION NEEDED].
Facts:
Inspection summary for Cedar Park: Structure A (installed 2001) rated 'replace' because of failed surfacing and rusted supports. Structure B (2004) rated 'repair'. Structure C (2009) rated 'monitor'.
Quote 1: replace all three structures, $186,000.
Quote 2: replace Structure A and repair Structure B, $94,500; Structure C monitored.
Quote 3: replace Structure A only, $61,000.
Capital budget available: $120,000.

The output

Purpose
To present options for the three aging playground structures at Cedar Park.

Background
The inspection rated Structure A (installed 2001) 'replace' because of failed surfacing and rusted supports, Structure B (2004) 'repair', and Structure C (2009) 'monitor'. The capital budget available is $120,000.

Options
Option 1: Replace all three structures. Cost: $186,000. Pro: addresses all three structures. Con: exceeds the available budget.
Option 2: Replace Structure A and repair Structure B. Cost: $94,500. Structure C is monitored. Pro: covers the 'replace' and 'repair' ratings within budget. Con: Structure C is not replaced.
Option 3: Replace Structure A only. Cost: $61,000. Pro: lowest cost and addresses the 'replace' rating. Con: Structure B's 'repair' rating is not addressed.

Fiscal impact
Option 1 is $66,000 over the $120,000 budget. Option 2 is $25,500 under budget. Option 3 is $59,000 under budget.

Recommendation
[STAFF TO DECIDE]

Gaps
[INFORMATION NEEDED: timeline for each option, and any ongoing maintenance cost. The facts do not include them.]

What to check or change by hand

  • Check every figure against the quotes and recalculate the differences from the budget yourself
  • Resolve every [INFORMATION NEEDED] or remove the gap
  • Write the recommendation yourself: the AI was told not to
  • Fit the draft to your own report template before it goes to elected officials

Free template

Staff report prompt and checklist (Word) (DOCX), free with your email address.

Cautions

  • A draft that looks complete can still contain an invented number. Recheck every figure against its source before it goes to elected officials.
  • Keep the recommendation human. The prompt leaves it blank on purpose because a person is accountable for it.
  • Paste only information your tool is approved to handle. Do not include confidential or personal data.

Frequently asked questions

Is this a policy brief or a staff report?

The method is the same. You give the AI the facts and a fixed list of sections, and it drafts the structure. Change the sections in the prompt to match a brief, a memo or a staff report.

Why leave the recommendation blank?

The recommendation is a decision with consequences. The prompt tells the AI not to make one so a person writes it and is accountable for it.

How do I stop the AI inventing figures?

Tell it to use only the facts you paste and to write [INFORMATION NEEDED] for any gap, then check every figure against the source before sharing the draft.

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