In this work, Patrick Kelley interprets the intelligence environment ofpolitical, military and information empires. His contribution sheds light onthe cause of enduring intelligence collection defi cits that affl ict the center ofsuch empires, and that can coincide with their ebb and fl ow. Alert intelligencepractitioners, present and future, can note here just how useful a fresh interpretation of the intelligence enterprise can be to a coherent understanding ofthe global stream of worrisome issues. Th e long-term value of this work willbe realized as readers entertain the implications of...

Analystsandanalystsalonecreateintelligence.Althoughtechnologicalmarvelsassistanalystsbycatalogingandpresentingdata, informationandevidenceinnewways, theydonotdoanalysis.To bemosteffective, analystsneedanoverarching, reflectiveframeworktoaddstructuredreasoningtosound, intuitivethinking."Criticalthinking"providessuchaframeworkandgoesfurther, positivelyinfluencingtheentireintelligenceanalysisprocess.Analystswhoadoptcriticalthinkingstandtoimprovetheiranalysis.Thispaperdefinescriticalthinkingin thecontextofintelligenceanalysis, explainshowitinfluencestheentireintelligenceprocess,...

Sensemaking is the inaugural book in our new series, titled The A. Denis Clift Series on the Intelligence Profession. The Clift Series will present original research on intelligence analysis and the teaching of intelligence. Sensemaking, whereby intelligence professionals would work with executive decisionmakers to explain data that are "sparse, noisy, and uncertain,"requires an interpreter and experienced champion to bring about a practicable understanding and acceptance of the concept among intelligence practitioners. David Moore has accomplished that feat. Further, he, along with...

How people notice and make sense of phenomena are core issues in assessing intelligence successes and failures. Members of the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) became adept at responding to certain sets of phenomena and "analyzing" their significance (not always correctly) during the Cold War. The paradigm was one of "hard, formalized and centralized processes, involving planned searches, scrupulously sticking with a cycle of gathering, analyzing, estimating and disseminating supposed enriched information." The paradigm did not stop within the IC, either. As Pierre Baumard notes, it was also...

Sensemaking is the inaugural book in our new series, titled The A. Denis Clift Series on the Intelligence Profession. The Clift Series will present original research on intelligence analysis and the teaching of intelligence. In 2009, A. Denis Clift concluded a 50-year career with the federal government. Clift was president of the National Defense Intelligence College from 1994 to 2009 and was instrumental in creating the Center for Strategic Intelligence Research, which houses the NDIC Press. Sensemaking: A Structure for an Intelligence Revolution, by David T. Moore Sensemaking, whereby...