Prepare some short, general policy paragraphs. The policies should be very vague (for example, the Federal Communications Commission is charged with licensing broadcasters for the “public interest, convenience, and necessity”) so as to leave students plenty of leeway for methods of implementation. Divide the students into as many groups as policy paragraphs that you have. Each group of students will be designated as the appropriate administrative agency for their policy paragraph.

The students should develop ways that the policy can be implemented. While working on these implementation means, the students should be thinking about the various aspects of administrative politics outlined by Anderson (i.e., Congressional oversight, judicial review, how the media will cover their implementation procedures, and so forth). In addition, the students should think about what control techniques they would like to utilize in the implementation of their policy. Will they use sanctions or incentives? This exercise allows students to see the challenges, as well as the advantages, that administrators face when presented with vague policies.