A Department of One

A challenge, which I often see at smaller private clients and many public sector clients is the isolation of analyses and measurement in nominal departments.
This creates a feeling of isolation in the staff and often a lack of involvement in results by the rest of the organisation. However, this does not mean that all organisations should have massive intelligence departments. But it means that management has a responsibility of creating focus on the results coming from these departments.

Especially in the public sector isolated intelligence departments risk churning out ritualised evaluations, which has little or no impact in the practice of the wider organisation. This is a pity since there could be massive potential in activating these resources better. But how can this be achieved?

• Planning the communication and actions from intelligence at an early stage. This is one of the elements, which require management focus.
• Networks between organisations with few resources for intelligence staff is a way of adding inspiration and creating a sense of coherence.
• Making the intelligence staff aware (or 're-aware') of their role in the wider setting.
• Re-assess the surveys, evaluations etc. at regular intervals. Are they still what the organisation needs to grow, are they beeing used and if not why?

Even with a department of just one person dedicated to gathering intelligence, market insights can be created. But only if the organisation is geared towards really using the numbers they collect and embed them in the day-to-day practice.