Sometimes the most powerful insights come from what isn’t shown on the slides.
Last week, I had the privilege of sitting down with a team of public sector analysts who are working on creating a strategic framework for their organization. What struck me most wasn’t what they showed us in their presentation—it was what they said about everything that remained hidden beneath the surface.
The Iceberg of Analysis
“What you see in these slides,” one analyst told us, gesturing to their presentation, “are just examples from our research. They’re just the tip to help leadership get the picture.”
That comment crystallized something I’ve been thinking about for a while: the work of analysis is like an iceberg. What decision-makers see is just the visible 10% floating above the waterline—the conclusions, the key statistics, the recommendations.
But beneath that surface lies a vast, meticulously constructed body of knowledge: documentation, source evaluations, contextual understanding, and countless hours of synthesis.
When Analysis Disappears (But Still Matters)
One of the most fascinating insights from our conversation was the analysts’ understanding that much of their work—their environmental scanning and analysis—will largely not be visible in the final strategic communications. Yet they recognized that if they provide rich, useful analysis to different teams within their organization, these insights will be integrated into the actions created as a result of the strategy.
This is the paradox of great analysis: when it’s most effective, it often becomes invisible. It becomes so thoroughly incorporated into the organization’s thinking that it no longer appears as “analysis” but simply as “how we see the world.”
From Spreadsheets to Strategic Value
Currently, many analysts are still tracking references and relevance in spreadsheets. But there was a moment of genuine excitement when this team shared how key insights in their strategic documents were drawn from research conducted using our Parsd Digital Research Platform.
What fascinated me was their reaction when we presented a way to tag research projects with deliverable types and audience information. “We realized,” one reflected, “that the right digital tools could offer entirely new ways of working that could help us provide value to our organization in ways we simply can’t today.”
This is what drives me—seeing how technology can not just improve efficiency but fundamentally transform how analysts deliver value.
The Challenge of Impact
When I ask analysts about their biggest frustration, their answers are often both simple and profound: “Our work isn’t accessed or utilized as much as we would like.”
This isn’t unique to public sector analysts. It reflects a universal challenge for knowledge workers everywhere—how to ensure that carefully crafted analysis actually influences decisions and actions.
The gap isn’t in the quality of analysis but in its consumption and application. Even brilliant insights make no impact if they remain unread or disconnected from decision processes.
The Barriers of Habit
Interestingly, when discussing what holds them back, they didn’t point to technology limitations or organizational structures. Instead, they identified their own daily habits.
“I struggle with maintaining my information systems,” one admitted. Another added, “It’s much easier said than done.”
This honest reflection highlights something crucial about knowledge work: it’s not just about having the right tools but about integrating them into sustainable workflows that don’t create additional cognitive burdens.
Bridging Methods and Features
Perhaps most importantly, they emphasized how valuable it is to see connections between the features in our platform and the methodological thinking behind them. “Help us map the use of different features to the actual method,” they requested. Something I think is common for lots of different tools.
This resonated deeply with me. In building Parsd, we’ve always believed that technology should serve methodology, not replace it. Analysis is fundamentally about structured thinking, not just tool usage.
One way of doing that could be to map common research methods like source reflection and horizon scanning directly to features in the tool—making the connection between technological capability and analytical method explicit. I hope to be able to show you more about this soon.
Looking Forward
As we move into our next phase of development, these insights are invaluable. They remind me that our mission isn’t just to build a great digital research platform—it’s to help analysts make their work matter.
Because when analysis truly matters—when it shapes perspectives, informs strategy, and drives meaningful action—it creates the foundation for better decisions and ultimately a better society.
After all, a democratic society needs people who can create the most trusted insights together and make them matter to others. That’s what we’re building for, and that’s what drives me every day.
What challenges do you face in making your analysis matter in your organization? I’d love to hear your experiences in the comments.
Love your thinking,
Alexandra Kafka Larsson Founder & CEO, Parsd
