Essay On All-Source Analyst Analysis

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The analyst in the intelligence cell could be one of many skill-sets, all of which serve a purpose or hinder the process. It would appear to some SIGINT and GEOINT analysts, with many years experience, identify the all-source analyst with the primary issues of cognitive and perceptual basis. That is not to say the technical intelligence does not have some issues with cognitive and perceptual biases, however, much less in comparison. And before anyone freaks out, just know this is based an isolated experience.

Taking a view into the core of cognitive and perceptual biases, the observer would see a human being. This one person can be their own worst enemy in the analytical process. We learn over time that critical thinking is essential to the analytical process. It allows or motivates an analysts to view whats in front of them in an objective manner first and if experience permits a touch of subjective points are sparsely included. This performance allows intelligence supervisors to quickly identify an analyst who knows more than the basics. According to Heuer (1999), the quality of an analyst is sometimes measured against “…quality of writing, types of analytical products, relations between intelligence analysts and intelligence consumers, or organization of the analytical process” (p. 1). An additional area identified are analysts lifted on pedestals based on nothing more than briefing …show more content…

One method is to identify their biases with open dialog. A good supervisor will see if the analyst has built the own obstacle to the area of interest. This step allows the supervisor to move the analyst to a different area of responsibility and focused training. However, if this is not an option, the primary question of forum comes into play. The analyst shouldn’t attempt to improve on their own. Their is a good chance their cognitive and perceptual biases are due to lack of experience or group

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