Month: July 2017

Red Hat Analysis is a technique based on practices originally developed by military forces while conducting war gaming. One common thinking error that analysts is make, is assuming that an enemy thinks like we do. This is also known as “mirror imaging” and is also affected by a lack of cultural training. Red Hat Analysis…

Morphological analysis is an advanced intelligence analysis technique used for situations where there is little information available and a lot of uncertainty. It is especially useful for what are called non-quantifiable problems – problems where we can’t even identify all of the factors because they are sociopolitical situations. Morphological analysis was developed by a scientist…

Force Field Analysis is an advanced intelligence analysis technique that allows you to examine the various factors that influence an intelligence issue, and avoid unnecessary focus on one side of a problem or question. A critical thinking error is committed when we allow our bias to affect our analysis. The first step is to define…

Devil’s Advocacy is an advanced analytical technique that has entered popular culture. It is as a method of challenging an analysis that has been completed, and is often employed as one of the last steps before an analytical document is distributed. The purpose of Devil’s Advocacy is to question the assumptions, questions, results and conclusions…

A Getting Started Checklist is a simple brainstorming technique put in place before an analysis begins. It involves the asking and answering of some simple questions that are applicable to any intelligence problem. In the same way as an essay outline helps you plot the major research and goals of the paper, the Getting Started…