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Ruth Puttick is a Senior Research Fellow at the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose (IIPP).
Outside of UCL, Ruth runs a research consultancy. Current and recent collaborations include projects with the Future Evidence Foundation, the Paul Ramsay Foundation, Results for America, The British Academy, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Centre for Homelessness Impact, What Works Wellbeing, Nesta, Alliance for Useful Evidence, Pearson Plc, Newcastle University, Edinburgh City Council, and advising the council for the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Blockchain.
In 2023, Ruth completed a PhD that explores the influence of philanthropic foundations on city government innovation and decision-making.
Ruth has over 15 years of practical research experience in the public and private sectors. Most recently, she served as a Senior Policy Advisor in HMG Open Innovation Team. Ruth’s previous experience includes working at Tony Blair Associates, a global management consultancy, helping establish the policy and research team in the government advisory practice. Before that, she spent six years at Nesta, the UK’s innovation agency.
Ruth has advised governments all around the world, on topics including innovation strategy, policy reform, evidence and impact measurement, the establishment of delivery units, and the creation of school inspectorate and improvement agencies in emerging economies. In the UK, she worked on the Annual Innovation Review for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), and contributed to various government white papers.
Ruth designed and advocated for the creation of a "NICE for social policy", successfully convincing the Cabinet Office and ESRC to create the What Works Network, a chain of evidence centres informing decision-making in policy areas overseeing more than £200 billion of public spending. She also created and launched the global practitioners' network, the Alliance for Useful Evidence.
She has written and managed numerous critically acclaimed research reports, including a mapping study of evidence institutes and i-teams - a global study of innovation labs across six continents. Ruth's research has been cited in the press, including coverage in The Financial Times, Guardian, and Times, and numerous academic articles. Her research on evidence has had a significant impact, with the standards of evidence framework developed for Nesta since being adopted by other organisations including FTSE 100 Pearson Plc and the Big Lottery Fund.
She has served on boards and is currently a school governor.
In 2012 Ruth worked on the successful Obama-Biden re-election field campaign in Virginia.
Ruth holds a degree in Geography from the University of Sheffield, a Master's in Research Methods, and a PhD in political science and urban studies.
Selected Publications
- Innovation, Public Policy & Government Reform
- Puttick, R. (2023) The influence of philanthropic foundations on city government innovation. The International Journal of Urban and Regional Research. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-2427.13203
- Puttick, R., Fiedler, L. M., & Park, J. (2022). Diffusion of Data-Driven Practices: How the Opinion Leading U.S. Cities are Advancing the use of Data in Local Government. State and Local Government Review, 54(1), 52–67. https://doi.org/10.1177/0160323X221088017
- Bakhshi, H. & Puttick, R. (2022). A note on international comparisons of R&D Tax Credit programmes, the inclusion of the humanities and social sciences, and the policy implications. Journal of the British Academy, volume 10 (2022). DOI: https://doi.org/10.5871/jba/010.121
- Bakhshi, H., Breckon, J. & Puttick, R. (2021) The role of arts, humanities and social science research in business R&D. London: British Academy.
- Puttick, R. (2014) Innovation Labs and Teams: A Practice Guide. London: Nesta.
- Puttick, R., Beack, P. & Colligan, P. (2014) i-teams: the teams making innovation happen for governments around the world. London: Nesta.
- Puttick, R. (2012) Innovations in Prevention. London: Nesta.
- Shanmugalingam, S., Puttick, R. & Westlake, S. (2010) Rebalancing Act. London: Nesta.
- Bound, K. & Puttick, R. (2010) Buying Power: Is the Small Business Research Initiative driving innovation in the UK? London: Nesta.
- Bunt, L., Harris, M. & Puttick, R. (2010) Radical Scotland: Confronting the challenges facing Scotland’s public services. London: Nesta.
- Puttick, R. (2009) Innovation Owners’ Manual. London: Nesta.
- Evidence-based policy and impact measurement in business, government and the third sector
- Breckon, J. & Puttick, R. (2021) The Quality of Qualitative Evaluation. What Works Wellbeing.
- Puttick, R. (2018) Mapping Standards of Evidence in UK Social Policy. London: Nesta.
- Puttick, R. (2018) The Intersection of Government Innovation and Evidence. Government Innovators Network. Boston: Harvard Kennedy School.
- Barber, M. & Puttick, R. (2017) Delivering education outcomes. Pearson Plc & WISE.
- Mulgan, G. & Puttick, R. (2014) The Role of Evidence in Education Businesses. Nesta and Pearson Plc.
- Puttick, R. (2014) Evaluation of Project Oracle: summary report. London: Nesta.
- Puttick, R. & Ludlow, J. (2013) Standards of Evidence: An approach that balances the need for evidence with innovation. London: Nesta.
- Puttick, R. & Ludlow, J. (2012) Standards of Evidence for Impact Investing. London: Nesta.
- Ilic, M. & Puttick, R. (2012) The development of Project Oracle: generating and using evidence in the real world. London: Nesta.
- Launch of the Alliance for Useful Evidence and the development of the UK What Works Network
- Puttick, R. & Mulgan, G. (2013) Making Evidence Useful. London: Nesta.
- Mulgan, G. & Puttick, R. (2013) What should the What Works Network do? London: Nesta.
- Puttick, R. (2012) Why we need a NICE for social policy. London: Nesta.
- Puttick, R. (2011) Evidence for Public Policy and Practice: Perspectives on how research and evidence can influence decision making in public services. London: Nesta.
- Puttick, R. (2011) Ten Steps to Transforming the Use of Evidence. London: Nesta.
- Puttick, R. (2011) Using Evidence to Improve Social Policy and Practice. London: Nesta.
- Political Representation and Democracy
- Elstub, S., Johnson, I., Puttick, R., & Wilkinson, M. (2018) Assessing the Potential of Mini-Publics to Promote Evidence Uptake in Social Policy and Practice. Newcastle: Nesta, 2018.
- Elstub, S., Johnson, I., & Puttick R. (2016) Overcoming Inequalities in Citizen Participation in Participatory Budgeting. Newcastle: Edinburgh City Council.