YouTuber Reman's Paradox demonstrates a high level of game knowledge backed up by data in this assessment of the new institutions mechanic in Europa Universalis IV. He also takes the laudable step of making his data and code available for others to use.
Below, I've pulled out four short sub-clips in which Reman raises ideas that may be relevant to thinking about other games.
Resources do not all have equal value or availability. When choosing between trade-offs, an understanding of the value of the resources at stake is necessary to make an informed decision.
"If everybody's paying extra, then nobody is."
Increasing province development will help you get an institution, but there is a downside. Your neighbors benefit from your provinces' institution spread, allowing them to piggy-back off of your expensive investment while being free to spend their points in areas other than province development.
The Manufactories and Enlightenment institutions spawn from buildings. In general, better-off nations are more able to invest in buildings than weaker ones. Thus, nations that are already doing well are more likely to get Manufactories and Enlightenment early, helping them do even better, where nations that are struggling get put even further behind.