Analysis and Production
Information collected in the previous steps will be analyzed, validated, and fused into intelligence in the analysis process to be included into finished intelligence products. Analysis is defined by the ODNI as “The process by which information is transformed into intelligence; a systematic examination of information to identify significant facts, make judgments, and draw conclusions.” (ODNI, 2013) This transformation occurs when All-Source Analysts use all the Single Source INTs to create a fused intelligence product.
Single Source INT
We learned about “Single Source INTs” in Module three and they are HUMINT, SIGINT, GEOINT, OSINT, and MASINT. They are referred to as single source because they are derived from a single type of INT. You may hear of a single source SIGINT analyst, who is an expert in signals intelligence collection, or a single source IMINT analyst, who is an expert in imagery intelligence collection.
All-Source INT
The All-Source Analyst is not an expert in collection of the single sources, but is instead an expert in a region or intelligence function (terrorism, counter-drug, crime, etc.) that is the consumer of the raw single source information from all INTs. Analysts receive incoming information, evaluate it, test it against other information and against their personal knowledge and expertise, produce an assessment of the current status of a particular area under analysis, and then forecast future trends or outcomes. The analyst also develops requirements for the collection of new information. (ODNI, 2013) The All-Source Analyst will learn through experience to validate information using multiple INTs to confirm information collected through a single source INT. For example, if information is collected from a HUMINT source, the All-Source Analyst will look for another HUMINT source to collaborate that information or possibly validate the original HUMINT source through SIGINT sources.
Validation
Validation is important to also counter an adversary’s attempts to conduct deception; however, the well-organized adversary will release multiple pieces of information through various INTs to mislead All-Source Analysts. A good adversarial deception plan will not only allow deceptive pieces of information to be collected to attempt to fool our intelligence analysts, but will also play into an analyst’s bias. The common biases of an analyst are mirror imaging (thinking the adversary will act the same way Americans do), cry-wolf syndrome (conducting an action multiple times so that when the adversary truly intends to act, our analysts do not take it seriously), and mission-creep/new normal (an adversary slowly changes tactics so that our analysts do not suspect nefarious activities).
It is important for All-Source Analysts to be confident in their assessments,
but they should be wary of overconfidence
Many think that the job of an intelligence analyst is to predict the future. In fact, many early analytic.
Analysis and ProductionInformation collected in the previous ste.docx
1. Analysis and Production
Information collected in the previous steps will be analyzed,
validated, and fused into intelligence in the analysis process to
be included into finished intelligence products. Analysis is
defined by the ODNI as “The process by which information is
transformed into intelligence; a systematic examination of
information to identify significant facts, make judgments, and
draw conclusions.” (ODNI, 2013) This transformation occurs
when All-Source Analysts use all the Single Source INTs to
create a fused intelligence product.
Single Source INT
We learned about “Single Source INTs” in Module three and
they are HUMINT, SIGINT, GEOINT, OSINT, and MASINT.
They are referred to as single source because they are derived
from a single type of INT. You may hear of a single source
SIGINT analyst, who is an expert in signals intelligence
collection, or a single source IMINT analyst, who is an expert
in imagery intelligence collection.
All-Source INT
The All-Source Analyst is not an expert in collection of the
single sources, but is instead an expert in a region or
intelligence function (terrorism, counter-drug, crime, etc.) that
is the consumer of the raw single source information from all
INTs. Analysts receive incoming information, evaluate it, test it
against other information and against their personal knowledge
and expertise, produce an assessment of the current status of a
particular area under analysis, and then forecast future trends or
outcomes. The analyst also develops requirements for the
collection of new information. (ODNI, 2013) The All-Source
Analyst will learn through experience to validate information
using multiple INTs to confirm information collected through a
single source INT. For example, if information is collected from
a HUMINT source, the All-Source Analyst will look for another
HUMINT source to collaborate that information or possibly
2. validate the original HUMINT source through SIGINT sources.
Validation
Validation is important to also counter an adversary’s attempts
to conduct deception; however, the well-organized adversary
will release multiple pieces of information through various
INTs to mislead All-Source Analysts. A good adversarial
deception plan will not only allow deceptive pieces of
information to be collected to attempt to fool our intelligence
analysts, but will also play into an analyst’s bias. The common
biases of an analyst are mirror imaging (thinking the adversary
will act the same way Americans do), cry-wolf syndrome
(conducting an action multiple times so that when the adversary
truly intends to act, our analysts do not take it seriously), and
mission-creep/new normal (an adversary slowly changes tactics
so that our analysts do not suspect nefarious activities).
It is important for All-Source Analysts to be confident in their
assessments,
but they should be wary of overconfidence
Many think that the job of an intelligence analyst is to predict
the future. In fact, many early analytical methods were referred
to as “predictive intelligence.” However, no analyst can be
100% certain that they know what an adversary will do and
therefore cannot predict the future. Analysts can “forecast”
adversarial actions. This can be explained the same way a
meteorologist prepares a “weather forecast” not a “weather
prediction.” To forecast adversarial actions or threats, analysts
will use estimative language. Our ODNI reading explains this
language on page 51 and 52. Following the 9/11 attacks
intelligence reform also changed the way analysts presented
intelligence assessments. Prior to 9/11 the IC suffered from
“circular reporting,” which is nothing short of plagiarism.
Analysts would find another analyst’s products, copy/paste that
product into their product, and provide the product to their
decision or policy maker. If an analyst requires two sources
that provide the same assessment to validate information and
then choose two products, the original analytical piece and the
3. copy/pasted analytical piece, they did not truly have two
sources. This led to inflated numbers of adversarial equipment,
personnel, strengths, intentions, etc. Following 9/11, the ODNI
created Intelligence Community Directive (ICD) 203 (Links to
an external site.)Links to an external site. to establish analytical
standards. ICD 203 provided guidance that all analysts must
quantify their assessments with a level of confidence. ICD
206 (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. was
later published setting a standard of citing sources to put an end
to intelligence plagiarism.
All-Source intelligence production varies from organization to
organization depending on the agency’s mission and who their
customer is. Lower level tactical military or law enforcement
products may include products that focus on individuals of
interest, groups within the area of operations, analysis of the
area’s terrain or other key elements, pattern analysis, event
analysis, or other near term / localized Intelligence
Requirements a tactical operation can take action on quickly.
Higher level products become more strategic in nature and look
at larger national or regional issues. These products typically
focus on the long-term issues on which a national level
diplomatic or large scale military unit will take action. The
products can come in the form of presentations, written
products, or in-depth studies. Two of the national level
products that are produced by all members of the IC are the
President’s Daily Brief (PDB) and a National Intelligence
Estimate (NIE).
· President’s Daily Brief (PDB): The President of the United
States is the highest level consumer of intelligence. The PDB is
the highest level intelligence briefing in the IC and is therefore
scrutinized heavily before the President receives the brief. The
top analysts from all the IC agencies can be selected to become
a part of the PDB production and briefing. Topics for the PDB
can be submitted to the PDB team for inclusion into the
briefing; however, only a few issues make it to the PDB each
day. The National Security Council staff will review the PDB
4. before it is briefed to check issues for accuracy, relevance, and
priority.
· National Intelligence Estimate (NIE): The NIE is the highest
level written intelligence product that is typically requested on
a nation-state threat, but can also be requested on various
issues. The requestors of the NIE are high-level policy makers
such as the National Security Council or Congress. Once
requested a Terms of Reference (TOR) will be created to
propose the necessary input and intelligence needed to create a
NIE. Top level analysts from any IC agency that can respond to
the TOR are selected to draft the NIE. Once drafted the Director
of National Intelligence and the National Intelligence Board
will review and approve the NIE for dissemination.
Dissemination
This is the last step and it involves getting the final intelligence
product to the requestor that submitted the initial Request For
Information (RFI) and those in the IC with the need to know
through information sharing. Once received by the requestor or
any other customer, the RFI may not be fully answered, need
addional monitoring and analysis, or create additional RFIs.
This will restart the intelligence process, therefore explaining
why the process is an intelligence “cycle.”
Evaluation
Simply put, this informal step in the intelligence cycle evaluates
the final product’s relevance and if in fact it fully addressed the
RFI. Essentially, the evaluation is “feedback” that occurs
between the requestor and producer to address if the requests
needs are being met. Adjustments to the product, established
deadlines, format of the final product, validation of sources, or
any other need of the requestor should be addressed in the
evaluation step soon after the final intelligence product is
disseminated.
For this activity you are required to use the steps of the
Intelligence Cycle to demonstrate your understanding of the
5. Intelligence Process.
The module learning outcome addressed in this activity is:
· Apply the steps of the intelligence process to a specific
scenario or Request For Information (FRI) (CO #2)
Create a PowerPoint Presentation that uses the steps of the
Intelligence Cycle to answer a customer driven Request For
Information (RFI).
Please review the following requirements for your slide
presentation.
Slide 1: Cover slide that includes the assignment information
and the Intelligence Agency you have chosen to work for in this
assignment.
Slide 2 (RFI): Identify a group, organization, or individual to
produce an RFI. You will need to do some initial research on
your RFI topic to ensure there is information to answer your
RFI. Choose your topic and write your RFI in the form of a
question to be answered. For example: Have attacks from Boko
Haram increased since pledging allegiance to ISIS? Your RFI
should be only one question.
Slide 3 (Planning and Direction): Create three Priority
Intelligence Requirements (PIR). Each PIR should also ask only
one question. For example:
PIR 1: How many attacks did Boko Haram conduct annually
before pledging allegiance to ISIS?
PIR 2: How many attacks did Boko Haram conduct annually
after pledging allegiance to ISIS?
PIR 3: If the current attacks by Boko Haram are lower annually,
have attacks been planned, but not executed?
Slide 4 (Collection): Provide a collection plan indicating which
intelligence disciplines you will task to collect the information
needed to answer each PIR. For example:
PIR
HUMINT
SIGINT
MASINT
GEOINT/IMINT
6. OSINT
PIR 1
XX
XX
XX
PIR 2
XX
XX
XX
PIR 3
XX
XX
XX
XX
Slide 5 (Processing): Explain how you would use each INT that
has a “XX” to answer each PIR. For example:
PIR 1: HUMINT can be tasked to provide information on the
number of attacks that have occurred in 2014 prior to Boko
Haram pledging allegiance to ISIS.
Slides 6 and as needed (Analysis and Production): Write a final
intelligence product that answers the RFI. This may take one
slide, but no more than three slides to create. Open Source
(OSINT) will obviously be the primary source for factual
information, but you should create “assignment only”
intelligence for the other INTs to validate your assessments. For
example:
Executive Summary: Reporting indicates that Boko Haram
attacks in Nigeria slightly increased following their pledge to
ISIS. However, Boko Haram attacks significantly increased in
Niger, Chad, and Cameroon following the group’s allegiance to
7. the Islamic State.
OSINT reporting indicated that Boko Haram attacks increased
by 5% in 2015 following joining ISIS. However, reporting also
noted that Boko Haram conducted its first attack in Chad in
2015. HUMINT reports indicate that the amount of Boko Haram
fighters has increased in Cameroon, which supports reported
increased attacks of 37 events in Cameroon following their
pledge to ISIS.
This example is brief, but it demonstrates the final write up and
cites a “HUMINT” report which does not actually exist.
Final Slide (Sources): List the sources that you have researched
on this slide. Also list any of the source information that you
have created for the assignment. While you are allowed to
create some of the intelligence you will use, you are still
required to provide sources of your academic research for this
assignment. In other words, you cannot create 100% of the
intelligence, but must include some factual information on your
RFI answer.