Intelligence gaps are the spaces in our understanding of a matter. They represent information that is not available for one reason or another, but if it were available, we could offer decision makers a more comprehensive and accurate analysis. In some cases, gaps can be filled by tasking investigators to reach out to their sources.Continue reading “Intelligence Gaps: The Known Unknowns”
Category Archives: Base Knowledge
The Format Of The Analytical Statement: What/So What?
Intelligence analysis is the interpretation of facts. Analysts examine a scenario or dataset, put the facts into context, add perspective, and explain to a decision maker why it all matters. The written format of an analytical statement is sometimes described as the “what/so what?” The “what” is the fact; the “so what” is its relevance.Continue reading “The Format Of The Analytical Statement: What/So What?”
A Strong Title Delivers Your Bottom Line
The title of an intelligence product is a shortened version of the thesis; it delivers the product’s bottom line. A title should contain as much of the who, what, where, when, why, and how of the thesis statement as possible while still being concise. Titles are written in the form of an incomplete sentence. TheyContinue reading “A Strong Title Delivers Your Bottom Line”
How To Create A Defensible Dataset For Intelligence Production
Compiling a dataset to support an intelligence product seems like a straightforward process: define attributes, select entities, and add them to a database for later sorting and analysis. In reality, the process can be challenging to get right. One of the first obstacles is finding data. There are three choices: assemble your own dataset, workContinue reading “How To Create A Defensible Dataset For Intelligence Production”
Inverted Pyramid: The Format For Intelligence Products
Formal intelligence products follow the same basic format, an inverted pyramid. Agencies have their own templates—sometimes multiple templates to fit different types of intelligence products—but all place the most important information at the top, followed by supportive analysis and facts. The overall presentation is sometimes referred to as the “bottom line up front,” or BLUF.Continue reading “Inverted Pyramid: The Format For Intelligence Products”