16th ICCRTS
“Collective C2 in Multinational Civil-Military Operations”
(PAPER 113)
An intelligence process model based on a collaborative approach
Anissa Frini
Anne-Claire Boury-Brisset
Defence R&D Canada – Valcartier
2459 Pie-XI North
Quebec, QC, G3J 1X5
Point of contact: Anissa Frini
Tel.: (418) 844-4000 #4418
Anissa.Frini@drdc-rddc.gc.ca
TOPIC
Collaboration, shared awareness and decision-making (# 5)
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An intelligence process model based on a collaborative approach
ABSTRACT
In the intelligence domain, the collection and processing of information and intelligence from multiple
Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) sources (including sensors, human, open sources,
etc.) is essential to produce actionable intelligence of high value in order to counter threat. In current
practice, the outputs of different sources are more often separated from one another and thus, crosschecking is limited. Further, the traditional intelligence cycle model lacks in representing the process from
an all-source perspective. In this paper, we propose an all-source intelligence process model that
represents elements of the intelligence process from an all-source perspective. The proposed model is
composed of several activities and processes: intelligence tasking; direction; single source collection &
processing; all-source discovery & fusion; dissemination; and evaluation & feedback. Three levels of
detail of the model are provided. The proposed model presumes a collaborative approach that enables
the analysis of a greater quantity of single source data by sharing analysis tasks and results between all
actors from different military and non-military intelligence organizations. In addition, this paper discusses
the issues and challenges to the effectiveness of all-source intelligence model and presents factors that
enable such a collaborative approach.
Introduction
The traditional intelligence cycle is a conceptual model showing how intelligence operations are
conducted. It consists of four steps (direction, collection, processing, and dissemination) from
defining what the decision-maker needs to know to the reception of the answer that he asked for.
During the last decades, many criticisms and discussions were addressed towards the intelligence
cycle [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9]. Gregory F. Treverton in his book Reshaping national
intelligence for an age of information [2] asserts that
“…The changes in the world that are already apparent are more than enough to require
a complete reshaping of intelligence, and the extension of those changes into the future of
the market state will only sharpen that need”.
On his side, Mark Lowenthal affirms in his book Intelligence: from secrets to policy [4] that:
“…The intelligence cycle representation misrepresents some aspects and misses many
others. First, it is overly simple. Its end to end completeness misses many of the vagaries
in the process. It is also oddly unidimensional. A policy maker asks questions and after a
few steps gets an answer. There is no feedback, and the diagram does not convey that the
process might not be completed in one cycle”.
In a publication of the Center of the Study of Intelligence of the CIA, it is stated that:
“…The model omits elements and fails to capture the process accurately” and “the
traditional intelligence cycle model should either be redesigned to depict accurately the
intended goal, or care should be taken to discuss explicitly its limitations whenever it is
used” [1] .
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In [8], the author notices that:
“…The cycle reflects a conception of information services that fit the 1940s, when the
intelligence community was established and people began to discuss how intelligence
could be made more effective. But from the perspective of today’s information consumer,
the model falls short on several counts”.
Many other criticisms are formulated in the literature but despite all these criticisms, the cycle
continues to be considered as the core representation of how intelligence is functioning [5]. In
addition, some authors in the open literature [1] [2], [3], [4] foster the development of a more
complete representation of all elements of the process as well as the factors that influence them.
There is an agreement towards the need to have a model that would capture the entire
intelligence process, from the request for intelligence to its delivery, including the roles and
responsibilities of all stakeholders.
This paper highlights many deficiencies and issues of the traditional intelligence cycle and
particularly focuses on the fact that this cycle lacks in representing the intelligence process from
an all-source perspective. On one hand, the all-source activities are not represented in the
traditional cycle. They are encompassed within the processing step of the cycle. On the other
hand, the intelligence cycle does not provide a good basis for the understanding of the processes,
the involved actors, the relationships between single source and all-source activities. The
objective in this paper is to better understand, define and represent the all-source intelligence
process based on a collaborative approach.
The traditional intelligence cycle is reviewed and the main criticisms that were addressed in the
literature are highlighted. Then, the modelling of the intelligence process is rethought from an
all-source perspective and a modified model is proposed. The proposed model is composed of
many activities and processes: intelligence tasking; direction; single source collection &
processing; all-source discovery & fusion; dissemination; and evaluation & feedback. Three
levels of detail of the model are provided. Level 1 is a high level representation of the
intelligence process. Level 2 introduces the roles of intelligence personnel in each phase and
specifies the main activities in the direction phase. Level 3 details the activities in the “single
source collection & processing” and the “all-source discovery & fusion” phases. The proposed
model presumes a collaborative approach that enables the analysis of a greater quantity of single
source data by sharing analysis tasks and results between all actors from different military and
non-military intelligence organizations. In addition, this paper discusses the challenges and
issues and presents factors that enable or impede such collaboration.
The intelligence cycle
The intelligence cycle is a conceptual model showing how intelligence operations are conducted.
It is an end-to-end process presenting all stages from finding out (or anticipating) what the
decision-maker needs to know to the reception of the answer that he asked for. The same
intelligence cycle representation is generally considered for the civilian and the military
intelligence organizations. In this paper, we report the definitions of the intelligence cycle from
the military context, but all along the paper, we take the option to remain general so that the
results of this study could be applied for the civilian and the military intelligence context.
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Different representations, but with the same logic and main phases, are proposed by Canadian,
United States (US) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) doctrines. According to the
Canadian Joint Intelligence Doctrine [10] and the Canadian land force intelligence field manual
[11], the intelligence cycle is composed of four steps: direction, collection, processing, and
dissemination (see Figure 1). The intelligence process may not continue through the complete
cycle and there are no firm boundaries delineating the points at which each stage of the cycle
starts and stops [10].
DIRECTION
DISSEMINATION
COLLECTION
PROCESSING
Figure 1: The intelligence cycle [10]
The Canadian intelligence cycle model is composed of four phases:
Direction consists of determining the intelligence requirements, planning the collection effort,
issuing orders and requests to collection agencies and maintaining a continuous check on the
productivity of such agencies [10].
Collection is the process during which information and intelligence are collected from sources
and agencies in order to meet the intelligence requirements.
Processing regroups a series of actions which consists of collation; evaluation; analysis and
integration; and interpretation of information and/or other intelligence.
Dissemination is the delivery of intelligence and is defined as “The timely conveyance of
intelligence, in an appropriate form and by any suitable means, to those who need it” [10].
From the US side, the joint doctrine intelligence model [12] is composed of six phases: planning
and direction; collection, processing and exploitation; analysis and production, dissemination and
integration; and evaluation and feedback (see Figure 2). Here, processing refers to the conversion
of the information into forms that can be readily used in the production phase. Also, the US
model separates, in different phases, the activities that are not performed by the same resources
(activities done by collectors and activities done by the intelligence analysts). The US model also
includes integration in the last stage which refers to the integration of intelligence into the
planning process and to a continuous dialogue between the user and the producer of intelligence.
In addition, evaluation & feedback is a continuing activity during which intelligence personnel at
all levels assesses how well each phase is being performed.
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Figure 2: The US Joint Intelligence Cycle [12]
More recently, the US Department of the Army published a model of the intelligence process
[13], which describes intelligence operations by four steps (plan, prepare, collect and produce)
and four continuing activities that occur across the four intelligence process steps (generate
intelligence knowledge, analyze, assess, disseminate). The four continuing activities shape the
intelligence process (see Figure 3). They occur throughout the process and can affect any step at
any time.
Figure 3: The US army intelligence process [13]
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The NATO representation (see Figure 4) of the intelligence cycle adds to the Canadian
representation a continuous phase “evaluation and feedback” performed all along the process
[14][15].
Figure 4: The NATO Intelligence Cycle
As we specified earlier, we do not favour in this study a specific context (civilian or military) and
in order to do so, we choose a general terminology that applies in both contexts. More
specifically, we consider the following definitions:
Table 1: Terminology
Intelligence producers
Personnel from intelligence community who produce intelligence
Intelligence consumers
Personnel from intelligence community who consume intelligence
produced in order to enrich and deduce further intelligence
Intelligence managers
Personnel from intelligence community who perform requirement
management, collection planning and distribution of intelligence to
users
Intelligence users
Personnel who ask for the intelligence to be produced and who use it
to make decisions
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Criticisms and previous work on the intelligence cycle
Main criticisms on the intelligence cycle
Many discussions and criticisms were addressed in the literature towards the intelligence cycle
representation [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9]. Many of these authors foster the
development of a more complete and accurate representation of all elements of the process as
well as the factors that influence them. They highlight the need to have a model that would
capture the entire intelligence process, from the request for intelligence to its delivery, including
the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders. The main criticisms that were formulated in the
literature are:
•
Intelligence collection process is not only driven by the decision makers. According to
the intelligence cycle, the decision-makers are responsible for driving the intelligence
process by providing their needs (intelligence products to be developed, formats, etc.).
However, when requirements are formulated, they remain vague. Hulnick in [5] asserts
that the notion that intelligence consumers/users provide guidance to intelligence
managers to begin the intelligence process is incorrect. Intelligence consumers/users do
sometimes indicate their main concerns to intelligence managers, but they also assume
that the intelligence system will alert them about problems, or provide judgments about
the future. Therefore, intelligence collection process is not only driven by the decision
makers but also by intelligence personnel that look for filling the knowledge gaps.
•
Intelligence support decision maker rather than inform him. In [5], the author infirm the
idea that the decision makers wait for the delivery of intelligence before making
decisions; they rather want intelligence to support them rather than to inform them. He
explains that they often have a confirmation bias to some information and they often
know what they want to do even before they receive the intelligence estimate, and hope
that this product will confirm in some way the wisdom of the path they have already
chosen [5].
•
Collection and analysis actually work in parallel. The intelligence cycle representation
shows the collection and analysis phases as two discrete phases working in a sequential
manner [5]. But in the reality, collection managers do not wait for guidance in regard to
gaps in the intelligence database to begin the collection process. The collection process is
a continuous one and depends on opportunities. On the other hand, the analysts do not
always need new intelligence material to understand world events. According to [5], the
database is already “so large that a competent analyst could write about most events
without anymore than open sources to spur the process”. New intelligence from human or
technical sensors is added incrementally; it may modify the analytic process but rarely
drives it. Therefore, collection and analysis are functioning in parallel and not in a
continuous cycle.
•
The traditional intelligence cycle is not iterative. The intelligence cycle representation is
prescriptive, structured, made up of discrete steps, and expected to yield a specific
product. This traditional representation does not represent the iterative nature of the
process; it assumes that the steps will proceed in the prescribed order and that the process
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will repeat itself continuously with reliable results [1]. However, the intelligence cycle
needs to be iterative at any stage of the process [1] [4]. For instance, the phase of defining
intelligence needs and shaping collection could necessitate repeated refinement of
requirements [1]. In addition, initial collection may prove unsatisfactory and may either
lead to new collections or to a change in the requirements. Processing and exploitation
may reveal gaps, resulting in new collection requirements. Intelligence consumers may
change their needs or ask for more intelligence. And, on occasion, intelligence personnel
may receive feedback, which should be considered in the process [1].
•
The traditional intelligence cycle does not include consumption and feedback. The
intelligence cycle does not include the consumption and feedback phases that should take
place particularly after the intelligence production is completed and has been delivered
[4]. Ideally, the decision-makers should give feedback to the intelligence producers,
detailing what has been useful, what has not, which areas need continuing or increased
emphases, which can be reduced, etc. [4]. The feedback phase needs to be included in
any representation of the intelligence process in order to make it more common. In the
reality, communications between the decision-maker and the intelligence community are
imperfect. Intelligence staff receives feedback less often than it desires and not in a
systematic manner [4] for many reasons (lack of time, work from issue to issue with little
time to reflect on what went right or wrong before pushing on to the next issue, etc.).
•
The traditional intelligence cycle assumes the same process whatever the objective. The
representation of the intelligence cycle assumes the process works the same way
whatever the objective, regardless of complexity and cognitive demands (e.g, in
preparing a long-range assessment, a national intelligence estimate, a brief on a current
situation, etc.).
•
Stovepiping. A major problem in the cycle is stovepiping. Stovepiping keeps the output
of different collection systems separated from one another and thus, it prevents one
discipline from cross-checking another.
•
The traditional intelligence cycle complicates the tasks of recognizing from where errors
can occur. According to [1], the classical representation of the intelligence cycle
complicates the tasks of recognizing from where errors can occur and who is responsible
for them. Although several actors intervene in performing the different steps, the model
does not provide useful information about what each actually contributes to the cycle, nor
does it accurately represent the path a request takes as it is addressed [1]. It does not
indicate who or what may affect the completion of a step (in term of responsibilities) and
the resources needed to begin the next step. In the same thought, such representation does
not accurately represent the impact of resource availability on analysts [1].
•
The traditional intelligence cycle lack in representing evaluation activities. The
intelligence cycle does not put the emphasis on assessment and evaluation, most likely
due to the inherent complexity of the evaluation process. Current evaluation activities
concern only the reliability of the source and the credibility of the information; the
assessment of the intelligence product is not considered in the cycle. Evaluating
intelligence products is a difficult task since intelligence is fundamentally predictive in
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nature and there is no statement of objectives that would help the evaluation process.
Thus, the traditional model does not help identify ways of developing a consistent
product.
•
The traditional intelligence cycle fits with the industrial mindset of the mid-twentieth
century. According to [8], the intelligence model fits the industrial mindset of the midtwentieth century. Actually, the intelligence cycle resembles an assembly line, where
specialization and a division of labour are supposed to improve efficiency. However, the
assembly-line approach does not transfer well to the intelligence process.
Literature proposals for the representation of the intelligence cycle
In his book Reshaping National Intelligence for an Age of Information [2], Gregory F. Treverton
proposes a different picture of the steps in the process and their iterative tendencies (5). This
representation recognizes that intelligence users seldom have the time or patience to articulate
their information requirements precisely. Thus, the intelligence process is more likely to be
driven by what intelligence can collect and what it can infer about the needs of policy.
Treverton’s representation of the intelligence process is driven by “intelligence pushing, not
policy pulling” [2]. In Treverton’s model, the output of the intelligence process consists of a
better understanding in the heads of people who must act or decide. As explained in [2], building
those understanding is a continuous process, and not a series of discrete cycles.
Figure 5: Treverton’s “real intelligence cycle”
Another representation is proposed by Mark Lowenthal in his book Intelligence: from Secrets to
Policy [4]. He proposes a multilayered intelligence process model, which focuses on the areas
where revisions and reconsiderations should take place (Figure 6). His model represents the
iterative aspects in a different way and introduces two important phases: consumption and
feedback (e.g, how they consume intelligence and the degree to which the intelligence is used).
On one hand, it takes into account the needed iterations in order to answer issues that would
likely arise (the need for more collection, uncertainties in processing, results of analysis,
changing requirements, etc.). On the other hand, this representation introduces the consumption
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and feedback phases. A dialogue between intelligence consumers and producers (detailing what
has been useful, what has not, which areas need continuing or increased emphases, which can be
reduced, and so on) should take place after the intelligence has been received.
Figure 6: The multilayered intelligence cycle [4]
In [3], Evans proposes a hub and spoke model for the military intelligence process (Figure 7).
Key amendments that are incorporated to the model are i) the early intervention of the
commander into the planning of an operation, ii) the need to plan intelligence activities, and
more specifically prioritise both the direction and collection phases, iii) continuous review and
assessment of intelligence produced (which will in turn influence new requirements and
direction) and, iv) continuous assessment of the operational environment and the commander’s
intent. The model is entitled Hub-and-Spoke because of its graphical representation. Continuous
assessment of the operational environment and the commander’s intent is the ‘hub’ of the model
that aims to prioritize and focus on the main efforts. All other phases (spokes of the model) need
to adapt to the potential change in the commander’s intent. The Hub-and-Spoke model explicitly
breaks down functional parts of the traditional intelligence cycle in order to avoid blurring or
duplication of effort [3].
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Figure 7: The Hub and Spoke Intelligence model [3]
Compared to Treverton’s ‘real’ Intelligence Cycle and Lowenthal’s advocacy of ‘Feedback’,
which draw more from study of intelligence in a civilian context, the Hub and Spoke model
would be best applied in a military environment due to the principles upon which it is based.
An all-source intelligence process model
The criticisms formulated towards the traditional intelligence cycle do not discuss what this
cycle lacks in representing the intelligence process from an all-source perspective. This paper put
emphasis on the fact that the all-source activities are not represented in the cycle. They are
always encompassed within the production step of the cycle. In addition, the traditional model
and the proposed models in the literature do not provide elements for understanding the
processes, the involved actors, the relationships between single source and all-source activities.
The objective of this section is to better understand, define and represent the all-source
intelligence process. A model is proposed for the intelligence process, rethought from an allsource perspective and based on a collaborative approach.
To better understand the all-source intelligence process, let us start with a definition of the allsource intelligence. According to the US Army doctrine for intelligence [13], all-source
intelligence is “the products, organizations, and activities that incorporate all sources of
information and intelligence, including Open Source (OSINT), in the production of intelligence.
All-source intelligence is both a separate intelligence discipline and the name of the process
used to produce intelligence from multiple intelligence or information sources”.
In this paper, all-source intelligence is considered as the process that consists of incorporating
intelligence resulting from all intelligence disciplines (Human intelligence (HUMINT), Imagery
intelligence (IMINT), Geospatial intelligence (GEOINT), Signal intelligence (SIGINT),
Measurement and signature intelligence (MASINT), Technical intelligence (TECHINT), Open
source intelligence (OSINT), and Biometric intelligence (BIOINT)) to produce consolidated
intelligence of great value (as illustrated in Figure 8). Multi-source is a particular case of allsource intelligence, where only some of these disciplines are considered.
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Key:
Human intelligence - (HUMINT)
Imagery intelligence (IMINT)
Geospatial intelligence (GEOINT)
Signal intelligence (SIGINT),
Measurement and signature
intelligence (MASINT),
Technical intelligence (TECHINT),
Open source intelligence (OSINT),
Biometric intelligence (BIOINT)
Figure 8: All-source intelligence
What is the all-source intelligence process? Answering this question is our main concern in this
paper. More specifically, we propose an all-source intelligence model which:
Highlights the all-source intelligence activities;
Regroups the activities according to the involved resources;
Reinforces the relationships between intelligence producers and the users
(continuous dissemination and feedback);
Promotes an enhanced evaluation approach at all levels:
Raw data (source credibility, data reliability)
Single source Intelligence Products (intelligence quality)
All-source Intelligence Products (user satisfaction); and,
Promotes a collaborative environment where information is accessible and
discoverable and routinely shared (between collectors, analysts, and end users). More
specifically, the model favours:
Exchanging intelligence/information between collectors, analysts, and end
users in order to improve the quality of intelligence products.
Making information accessible, available, and discoverable at the earliest
point possible.
To develop such a model, we started by understanding the Single Source activities and
characterizing the processes for each discipline (HUMINT, SIGINT, OSINT, IMINT, GEOINT,
etc.). Then, we analyzed the All-Source activities and processes. Afterwards, we identified the
differences, relationships and synergy between single source and all-source processes.
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Three levels of detail of the model are provided here. Level 1 is a high level representation of the
intelligence process (Figure 9). Level 2 introduces the roles of intelligence personnel in each
phase and indicates the main activities in the direction phase (Figure 10). Level 3 details the
activities in the “single source collection & processing” and the “all-source discovery & fusion”
phases (Figure 11).
Level 1 representation
A high level representation of the modified model is illustrated in Figure 9. The intelligence
process is composed of the following steps: intelligence (INT) tasking; direction; single source
collection & processing; all-source (AS) discovery & fusion; dissemination; and INT evaluation
& feedback.
Key:
INT- Intelligence
Figure 9: An all-source intelligence model (Level 1)
The intelligence process starts with intelligence tasking. Often, the decision makers ask what
they need to know with a deadline on its provision and a priority order. But, intelligence could
also be tasked by intelligence producers/consumers who provide guidance to intelligence
managers in order to fill the gaps in their intelligence database. Then, the direction phase consists
of a series of steps such as framing the problem, defining and managing the intelligence
requirements, planning the collection effort, preparing the collection plan and issuing orders and
requests to collection agencies.
Afterwards, depending on the intelligence requirements and the associated indicators, one or
more disciplines (ex: HUMINT, IMINT, GEOINT, SIGINT, MASINT, TECHINT, OSINT, and
BIOINT) might be tasked to perform single source collection & processing of data and
information in order to produce Single Source (SS) intelligence. The decision of which
discipline(s) would be considered in the collection activity depends on what is tasked in the
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collection plan. Let us note that the collection activities are done at the SS level. The SS
processing step consists of all the activities (collation, evaluation, analysis, and interpretation)
that will transform the collected raw data to single source intelligence. Collation corresponds to
the receiving, grouping and recording of data. The evaluation process consists of assessing the
reliability of the source and the credibility of the information. The analysis step concerns the
scanning of the collated and evaluated information for significant facts. These are then related to
other facts that are already known and deductions are made from the comparison. Interpretation
is a mental process that consists of comparisons and deductions based on common sense, life
experience, military knowledge of adversary and friendly forces, and existing information and
intelligence.
The All-Source (AS) discovery & fusion step regroups the discovery of the SS intelligence and
its fusion in order to produce further actionable intelligence. The discovery consists in getting the
SS intelligence either by querying the databases or by communicating and collaborating with the
SS analysts. Intelligence coming from different sources (HUMINT, IMINT, SIGINT, etc.) is
then evaluated, analyzed and fused in order to produce AS actionable intelligence of high value.
In the C2 domain, CCRP has been advocating the task-collect-post-utilize as an improved
alternative to the task-collect-analyze-post with the objective of reducing the cycle time to
improve
decisions.
Within
the
traditional
task-collect-analyze-post
alternative,
information/intelligence is pushed by the analysis entity. Within the improved task-collect-postutilize alternative, information/intelligence is pulled by the user and then utilized. This is a high
valued approach particularly for the posting of blue information. However in the domain of
intelligence, because of classification issues and the value added by intelligence analysts to the
raw data/information (by establishing links between the SS intelligence), the collected data could
not be systematically posted before being analyzed. Ultimately, this could be the case of some
raw data or SS intelligence of high value that do urge to be disseminated to the user within a
tight deadline without being further analyzed by the AS analyst. That’s why the dissemination
appears in the model as a continuous activity all along the intelligence process. Information and
intelligence could be disseminated after collection, after processing at the single source level or
after all-source fusion.
Evaluation is also a continuing activity that has to be done for raw data (in terms of reliability
and credibility), for single source intelligence (SS intelligence quality) and all-source intelligence
(in terms of user satisfaction, usefulness, quality, etc.). Finally, the users of intelligence should
give feedback to intelligence producers, detailing what is useful, what is not, which area needs
more emphasis. Based on these feedbacks, new intelligence requirements are produced. Levels 2
and 3 representations provide more detail for the model.
Level 2 representation
Level 2 representation of the model introduces the roles of intelligence personnel in each phase
and indicates the main activities in the direction phase (see Table 1 for the main roles that we
considered in this paper within the intelligence community). Figure 10 represents the role of
intelligence personnel in each box. The direction and dissemination steps are performed by
intelligence managers. Intelligence personnel intervening in the “single source collection and
processing” are producers. Personnel doing the “all-source discovery and fusion” step are
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simultaneously intelligence consumers and producers. They consume intelligence coming from
single source disciplines in order to produce all-source intelligence. Finally, the intelligence user
asks for intelligence and when received, evaluate this intelligence and provides feedbacks. The
model specifies also that intelligence consumers and produces might ask for intelligence to be
produced depending on their needs.
Figure 10: An all-source intelligence model (Level 2)
Level 3 representation
The intelligence process model illustrated in Figure 11 details the “SS collection & processing”
and the “AS discovery & fusion” boxes.
The SS intelligence process involves a process that moves from raw data toward intelligence
products (SS intelligence). The SS intelligence process consists of:
•
Step 1: Acquiring raw data;
•
Step 2: Sorting, filtering, indexing and organizing information;
•
Step 3: Evaluating information reliability and source credibility;
•
Step 4: Reasoning (analyzing and processing) to create intelligence.
Therefore, three activities are required for the SS process: collection (step 1); collation &
evaluation (step 2 and 3); analysis & processing (step 4). During analysis & processing, the
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analyst could need more raw data and information than those collected initially to derive his
conclusions. These raw data and information are asked in a request for information (RFI)
submitted to the requirement manager.
The AS intelligence process will incorporate SS intelligence produced individually within each
discipline in order to provide intelligence of higher value. The all-source process consists of:
•
Step 1: A discovery of single source intelligence produced within each discipline
(HUMINT, IMINT, GEOINT, TECHINT, etc.);
•
Step 2: Evaluation of the quality of SS intelligence products;
•
Step 3: Analysis and fusion to produce all-source intelligence.
The AS analyst discovers the SS intelligence already produced, evaluates its quality and tries to
derive actionable intelligence after analysis and fusion. It could happen that he needs more
data/information/intelligence to derive the conclusions. In such case, supplementary
data/information/intelligence could be tasked from SS analysts or as an RFI submitted to the
requirement manager. In all cases, no collection is performed at the all-source level (this is a
single source concern).
Key:
INT- Intelligence
AS – All-Source
SS - Single Source
Figure 11: An all-source intelligence model (Level 3)
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A collaborative approach: an imperative for the success of the model
The all-source intelligence model proposed in the previous section answers the question asked
earlier in this paper: What is the all-source intelligence process? The model illustrates the
different steps and activities of the all-source intelligence process. In this section, we will be
interested in the following question: “What makes the success of the all-source intelligence
process”? In particular, we will examine to what extent a collaborative approach could favour
the success of the AS intelligence process and we will discuss challenges, issues and enablers.
The model proposed earlier in this paper presumes collaborative behaviour between all
stakeholders. Collaboration is central to the model. In particular, the model is based on the fact
that information sharing between SS and AS analysts is facilitated. It presumes that personnel
within the different organizations and agencies communicate, share information and intelligence
and that their technological infrastructures favour that. It also assumes that i) there is a dialogue
between intelligence producers, consumers and managers within the intelligence community; and
ii) a continuous dialogue and feedback provision from the users of this intelligence.
In theory, this model is based on the novel paradigm of Lahneman (2010) published recently in
the literature [9]. This new paradigm for intelligence is proposed to better understand and deal
with the new security threats. Introduced in [9], the new paradigm replaces the vision of
intelligence as “solving puzzles” with that of performing “adaptive interpretations”. Adaptive
interpretations involve constructing extremely complicated puzzles for which virtually all of the
pieces are available [9]. This new paradigm involves processing large quantities of information
in a dynamic environment where each piece is only a small portion of the overall picture. The
puzzles have no large pieces. Single pieces of information can change their value, becoming
more or less significant, in short periods of time. Pieces that are relatively unrelated one moment
can become related next. In addition, small pieces of the puzzle can be decisive and the value
attached to them changing with time. Therefore, the picture of the puzzle constantly changes,
sometimes in dramatic ways. Compared to the traditional paradigm, most pieces to these
adaptive interpretations are not secrets or mysteries [9].
The all-source intelligence process model proposed in this paper is thought-based on the adaptive
interpretation paradigm. Performing adaptive interpretations requires openness, which requires
mutual trust among organizations, agencies and partners. Consequently, the all-source
intelligence model depends on a new category in addition to secret and open information which
consists of “trusted information” as discussed in [9]. Trusted information is contained in trusted
networks, which have many participants, including external entities. Such category will facilitate
the collaborative behaviour on which the all-source intelligence process model is based. In the
following, we discuss the challenges and issues for the effectiveness of all-source intelligence
model using a collaborative approach. We then provide ideas that enable the collaborative
approach.
Challenges and issues
The way traditional intelligence model works is not based on a collaborative approach. For
instance, as affirmed by Arthur Hulnick, “because of restrictions, psychological barriers, fears
of compromising sources, and security concerns, the intelligence collection process and the
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intelligence analytic process are sometimes quite independent of each other due essentially to
reciprocal mistrust” [5]. Many other challenges and issues prevent collaborative behaviour. The
limited sharing between organizations and systems complicates collaboration. In fact, today,
each intelligence agency has its own networks and data repositories which make it very difficult
in an all-source perspective to assemble facts and hypotheses which, once aggregated, could
provide valuable warning. More and more, large amounts of data/information/intelligence are
collected from many sources without being analyzed because of the fact that it is difficult to
discover or access them outside of collection stovepipes. Analysts may often be unaware that
information has been collected. In addition to these technological issues, there is also a cultural
issue. As well known, the intelligence community culture is that of a “Need to know” rather than
a “Need to share”. The traditional paradigm requires learning secrets, which engenders mistrust
and makes collaboration more difficult.
Enablers
In the following, we discuss the factors that allow and enable the all-source intelligence model to
be effective based on a collaborative approach. We think that at least three main factors need to
be examined: Information/Knowledge Management (IKM) services, security concerns, and the
establishment of a trust environment and a trust-based culture. These factors are discussed in
[16],[17] and constitute the basis for an effective information sharing and collaborative approach.
The first factor concerns the IKM services. A prerequisite to a collaborative approach consists of
having IKM services that allow the discovery, the filtering, and the delivery of the knowledge
that users need while guarding against information overload. This supposes the establishment of
common information standards and core services (metadata tagging standards, security marking);
advanced discovery processes and procedures; and retrieval protocols. Advanced IKM services
will allow analysts to push and pull data across networks, and thus facilitate collaboration by
having access to data/information/intelligence available to different organizations.
The second factor concerns the security aspects associated to the collaborative approach. Before
information sharing could take place and be effective, it is necessary from a security point of
view that information be protected and auditable. We need to develop tools and mechanisms to
manage identities, authorize, authenticate, and audit users through uniform identity attributes,
identity management, uniform security standards, information access rules, user authorization,
auditing, access control, etc. In addition, rules and procedures for accessing information and a
sharing policy should be established.
The third factor concerns the establishment of a trust environment and a trust-based culture.
First, the different actors need to trust the systems in order to have collaborative behaviour in the
future. The security concerns discussed earlier (identity management standards for
authentication, authorization, and auditing) will favour trust. However, it still remains a trade-off
between trust and continuing the protection of sources and methods as well as sensitive
information from disclosure. Second, changing the culture by focusing on the “responsibility to
provide” and sharing knowledge and expertise will certainly favour such collaboration. This is
not an easy task because of the established “need to know” culture and the fear associated to
information sharing, particularly relatively to the quality (credibility, reliability) of the
information/intelligence produced by other actors. However, establishing a trust culture could be
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achieved by developing incentives (at the institutional, leadership, and workforce levels), awards
and assessment programs encouraging the collaborative approach. At the technological level, the
establishment of a virtual collaboration environment will also facilitate collaboration and
information sharing among actors.
Conclusion
This paper presented a review of the traditional intelligence cycle and the main criticisms that
were addressed in the literature. This paper highlighted many deficiencies and issues of the
traditional intelligence cycle and particularly focused on the fact that this cycle lacks in
representing the intelligence process from an all-source perspective. The modelling of the
intelligence process was rethought from an all-source perspective and a new model proposed.
The proposed model is composed of many activities and processes: intelligence tasking,
direction, single source collection & processing, and all-source discovery & fusion,
dissemination, and evaluation & feedback. Three levels of detail of the model were provided.
Level 1 is a high level representation of the intelligence process. Level 2 introduces the roles of
intelligence personnel in each phase and indicates the main activities in the direction phase.
Level 3 details the activities in the “single source collection & processing” and the “all-source
discovery & fusion” phases. The proposed model presumes a collaborative approach that enables
the analysis of a greater quantity of single source data by sharing analysis tasks and results
between all actors from different military and non-military intelligence organizations.
Additionally, this paper discussed the challenges and issues of the all-source intelligence model
based on a collaborative approach. We then provided ideas that enable the improved functioning
of this model. Three factors that allow and enable a collaborative all-source intelligence model
were discussed: Information/Knowledge Management (IKM) services, security concerns, and the
establishment of a trust environment and a trust-based culture.
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