Sentiment analysis with AWS Comprehend
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The challenge
The organisation faced a resource crunch that threatened their ability to effectively analyse public feedback on a complex, sensitive topic. As a small team with limited budget, they were navigating competing pressures.
External contractors for sentiment analysis were beyond their financial reach, yet manual analysis would consume their already stretched team capacity. The consultation subject matter required nuanced, accurate analysis to avoid misinterpretation, particularly given the public sensitivities involved.
They needed real-time insights to adapt their communication strategies as the consultation progressed, but despite budget limitations, they couldn't compromise on accuracy, security, or reliability. The stakes were too high.
The organisation needed an innovative solution that would deliver professional-grade sentiment analysis whilst keeping resources available for other critical engagement activities.
The approach
Working closely with stakeholders, Delib developed a bespoke AI-driven sentiment analysis workflow that balanced cost-effectiveness with robust analytical capabilities. The approach began with detailed scoping to understand their risk appetite, security requirements, and specific analytical objectives.
The solution included:
A custom AWS Comprehend integration built a tailored text-processing workflow for sentiment detection, keyword extraction, and prohibited word identification. Enhanced validation layers added quality assurance measures that reduced dependency on single AI models, ensuring contextually relevant and accurate insights.
The system was fine-tuned through context-specific training to recognise nuances specific to the organisation's engagement topic, detecting positive, negative, and neutral sentiments whilst flagging prohibited language. A real-time monitoring dashboard with automated reporting enabled the team to track sentiment trends as they emerged, allowing for proactive communication strategy adjustments.
The results
Manual data review was eliminated, freeing the team to focus on strategic engagement activities rather than spending hours coding responses. Live sentiment tracking enabled immediate communication strategy adjustments, allowing the team to respond to emerging concerns during the consultation period rather than discovering them only after close.
The AI-driven analysis with validation layers delivered more reliable insights than manual processes could achieve with limited resources. The in-house automated solution eliminated expensive external contractor costs, and the system was designed as scalable infrastructure for future applications beyond the initial consultation.
Long-term value
Beyond the immediate consultation success, the solution created lasting value for the organisation. Sustainable resource allocation through reduced reliance on external contractors improved operational efficiency for future engagement work.
The scalable AI system provides ongoing value for subsequent consultations without additional development costs. A fully digital approach eliminated paper-based workflows and manual filing systems, streamlining operations. Critically, the in-house system ensures analytical capabilities remain within the organisation, building internal knowledge rather than dependency on external providers.
Making sophisticated analysis accessible
This project demonstrates how smaller public sector organisations can harness enterprise-grade AI capabilities without enterprise budgets. The combination of cloud-based AI services, custom validation layers, and real-time monitoring shows that sophisticated sentiment analysis is accessible to teams of any size.
The success of this automated approach proves that AI can enhance rather than replace human judgement in sensitive public consultations, delivering insights that inform better decision-making whilst respecting strict governance standards.
For organisations facing similar resource constraints whilst managing sensitive public engagement, this case study offers a roadmap: professional-grade analytical capabilities are achievable without compromising on quality, security, or budget.
Delib is a govtech leader specialising in consultation and engagement, trusted by over 600 government organisations worldwide, including major planning projects. Since 2004, we've been building secure, accessible digital platforms to make participation simpler, fairer, and more inclusive. Our flagship product, Citizen Space, was built in collaboration with the UK government and has supported more than 11 million responses across over 110,000 democratic activities.