A framework for analyzing policy goals: introducing the SPYDER indicator

Abstract To enable systematic and precise description and assessment of policy goals, an often-neglected aspect of policy design – we introduce the Structured Policy Goals Indicator (SPYDER). This original tool was developed through qualitative content analysis of more than 5000 goals from real-world strategic documents. SPYDER captures both the thematic orientation and the technical structure of policy goals, allowing for systematic analysis of how countries, regional associations, and international organizations articulate and operationalize their policy aims. Developed in a single-country case and subsequently tested and verified using a sample of international documents, the approach provides a replicable and flexible methodological framework for grasping the elusive and complex nature of policy goals for both practical and scientific purposes.