ADAPTool Guidebook

The ADAPTool Guidebook describes a structured process for evaluating whether public policies are 'adaptive'—meaning they can respond effectively to both anticipated and unanticipated shocks. The tool assesses policies against seven core characteristics: integrated and forward-looking analysis, multistakeholder deliberation, automatic policy adjustment, self-organization and social networking, decentralization of decision-making, promoting variation, and formal policy review and continuous learning. The process involves a scoping phase to define geographic scope and stressors, data collection via interviews or research, and a synthesis phase that ranks policies based on 'planned adaptability' (response to known stressors) and 'autonomous adaptability' (response to unforeseen changes).

• Adaptive policies are defined by seven core characteristics that enhance their ability to handle shocks and changing conditions: integrated and forward-looking analysis, multistakeholder deliberation, automatic policy adjustment, self-organization and social networking, decentralization of decision-making, promoting variation, and formal policy review and continuous learning.
• The ADAPTool distinguishes between two types of adaptability: planned adaptability, which allows policies to cope with foreseeable shocks, and autonomous adaptability, which enables them to handle unanticipated shocks.
• The assessment process is structured across four Excel-based worksheets: Scope of Analysis, Adaptation Analysis (for planned adaptability), Adaptive Capacity Analysis (for both planned and autonomous adaptability), and a Synthesis Worksheet.
• The tool is designed to be flexible regarding the type of stressor analyzed, stating it can be used for climate change, volatile market prices, demographic pressures, or any other driver of change impacting policy performance.
• The synthesis phase produces a visual depiction of policy performance, mapping 'planned adaptability' (support for anticipated actions and adaptive capacity) against 'autonomous adaptability' (stakeholder input, self-organization, decentralization, and formal review).
• The guidebook emphasizes that the ADAPTool is intended for assessing the adaptability of policies rather than conducting a broad policy evaluation.

APA

Tyler, S., Tyler, K. H., Roy, D., & Swanson, D. (2014). ADAPTool Guidebook. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/adaptool_guidebook.pdf

Chicago

Tyler, Stephen, Kari Hansen Tyler, Dimple Roy, and Darren Swanson. ADAPTool Guidebook. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2014. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/adaptool_guidebook.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Tyler |first1=Stephen |last2=Tyler |first2=Kari Hansen |last3=Roy |first3=Dimple |last4=Swanson |first4=Darren |title=ADAPTool Guidebook |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=2014 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/adaptool_guidebook.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{tyler2014adaptool, author = {Tyler, Stephen and Tyler, Kari Hansen and Roy, Dimple and Swanson, Darren}, title = {{ADAPTool Guidebook}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2014}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/adaptool_guidebook.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }