Working with Analytic Standards (Virtual Course)
This course is developed to help intelligence analysts understand the key standards and expectations for producing high-quality analysis. It also supports supervisors in knowing what to expect from their team’s intelligence outputs. Based on the analytic standards of the US, UK, and Canadian intelligence communities, the course offers clear, practical guidance on how to implement and apply these or similar principles in analytic teams across public and private sector organisations.
The course will be delivered live over five, 3.5 hour sessions. There will be separate iterations of the course for audiences in Asia, the Americas, and Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Please select the start time (SGT, EST, or CET) that suits you best.
Course Outline
Building Credibility Through Analytic Standards
Introduction
- Key concepts and definitions
- The role and importance of analytic standards
- Origins of analytic standards
- Analytic standards in the UK, US, Canada, and beyond
- Challenges and limitations
On Objectivity
- Understanding the many aspects of objectivity in analysis
- Maintaining analytic independence
- Ensuring objectivity: tips and techniques
Practical Exercise
- An exercise designed to practice the concepts learned
Enhancing Analytic Clarity
Clear and Logical Argumentation
- Clarity as an analytic standard
- From argumentation to argument
- The role of deductive, inductive, and abductive reasoning in analysis
- How to build strong arguments
- Argument mapping
Understanding and Managing Uncertainty in Analysis
- Defining uncertainty
- Expressing probability and analytic confidence
Working with Assumptions
- The AEA framework
- Techniques for identifying and assessing assumptions
- Best practices for communicating assumptions
On Sourcing
- Defining the role of the analyst in sourcing
- Applying source evaluation models
- Communicating source quality
- Integrating source characterisation into analytic products
- Describing the information base
- Working with intelligence gaps and conflicting information
Practical exercise
- An exercise designed to practice the concepts learned
Relevance as the Foundation of Effective Intelligence
Demonstrating Relevance
- Understanding the critical importance of analytic relevance
- Strategies and frameworks to ensure relevance in analysis
- Balancing relevance and bias: staying close without crossing the line
- Leveraging opportunity analysis to sustain relevance
Maintaining Consistency and Addressing Change
- On change and consistency in analysis
- Checklist to evaluate change and consistency
- Communicating change and consistency
Timeliness: Meeting Deadlines Without Compromise
- Deciding when intelligence should reach the client
- Balancing speed and accuracy
- Best practices for timely analysis
Practical Exercise
- An exercise designed to practice the concepts learned
Accuracy and Analytic Rigour
Ensuring Accuracy
- The importance of accuracy in analysis
- Addressing common misconceptions and pitfalls
- Best practices to ensure accuracy
Practical Exercise
- An exercise designed to practise the concepts learned
On Analytic Rigour
- Understanding the various aspects of analytic rigour
- Working with Structured Analytic Techniques (SATs)
- Analysing alternatives
- On being comprehensive
Practical Exercise
- An exercise designed to practise the concepts learned
From Theory to Implementation
Operationalising Analytic Standards
- Working with analytic standards: Best practices for individual analysts
- Introducing analytic standards in the organisation: Dos and don’ts
- Developing and refining analytic standards
- From analytic standards to analytic review
Course Details
WHO IS THIS COURSE FOR?
This course is intended for all analysts and leaders of analytic teams, regardless of background or work experience.
HOW YOU BENEFIT
On completion of this course you will have the ability to:
- Justify the importance of analytic standards
- Provide objective, high-quality analysis and maintain analytic independence
- Effectively work with assessments, evidence, and assumptions
- Ensure relevance and timeliness of intelligence outputs
- Critically evaluate intelligence products for adherence to analytic standards
- Adapt analytic standards for use in diverse organisational contexts, including both public and private sector environments
WHAT YOU RECEIVE
- A full set of course slides in PDF
- An index of templates
- Checklists and tip sheets
- Six months of post-course support
- A certificate of completion
COURSE FEE
EUR 1200
Course Prerequisites
It is generally recommended that participants complete our Intelligence Analysis: Foundations course before undertaking this program, but this is not essential.
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
Please observe the following technical requirements:
- You will need a Windows or Mac laptop (tablet computers are not recommended)
- Install Microsoft Office
- Install Adobe Connect
Additional software requirements will be sent prior to the start of the course.
