Technical article: Policy consulting and public affairs – understanding the practice. (2026)

Part 3: Where public affairs come from – and why understanding the system is crucial.

Our article explains policy field consulting as the analytical core of professional public affairs and shows why political lobbying without upstream analysis regularly remains ineffective. At its heart is the thesis that political influence is not created through speed or actionism, but through a systematic understanding of structures, actors, decision-making logic, and time frames of political processes.

Starting from a clear definition of the term “policy area,” the article distinguishes between policy area analysis and policy area consulting: while analysis reveals political structures and dynamics, consulting translates these findings into strategic recommendations for action.

Another focus is on identifying political leverage points. The article shows that effective public affairs require prioritization of actors, levels, and instruments, and that technical depth—especially in complex policy areas such as tax, finance, economic, and real estate policy—is a prerequisite for credible and implementable positions.

This article is part 3 of a ten-part series entitled “Policy consulting and public affairs – understanding the practice.” The following parts will explore, among other things, why technical expertise beats political routine and what quality requirements professional policy consulting must meet.

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