Intelligence analysis

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Intelligence analysis is the process of producing formal descriptions of situations and entities of strategic importance. Although its practice is found in its purest form inside intelligence agencies, such as the CIA in the United States or MI6 in the UK, its methods are also applicable in fields such as business intelligence or competitive intelligence.

In the US, many of the methods of analysis were pioneered by Sherman Kent.

The body of specific methodology for intelligence analysis is generally referred to as analytic tradecraft. The academic disciplines examining the art and science of intelligence analysis are most routinley referred to as "Intelligence Studies", and exemplified by institutions such as the Joint Military Intelligence College and Mercyhurst College Institute for Intelligence Studies.

Over 160 specific methods for intelligence analysis were identified and documented by Dr. Rob Johnson in a 2005 study published by the Center for the Study of Intelligence at Central Intelligence Agency. These techniques include Analysis of Competing Hypotheses, Delphi analysis, opportunity analysis, LAMP (Lockwood Analytical Method for Prediction), FACTIONS, POLICON, counterfactual analysis; and Red Cell analysis, among others. A specific career track has been established within the US intelligence community for professionals wishing to develop and validate new methods and analytical tradecraft.

Intelligence analytical capacity can potentially be measured in terms of cognitive readiness, which includes factors such as: Situational awareness, memory, transfer, metacognition, pattern recognition, problem solving, mental flexibility and creativity.