Recently, we’ve been sharing some of our “inside baseball” approaches to fantastic intelligence analysis. This follows the four functions of the intelligence process:
- Modeling
- Collection
- Analysis
- Production
All too often, there is a great deal of focus on the first three functions but a failure in executing the fourth function that delivers all of the hard work done.
This is a real shame because it completely undermines the significant investment of time and resources consumed.
What does it take to really execute a solid production effort? We have some very simple guidelines to use that can make your work shine AND to make a real impact with your decision making process.
BLUF
This is often emphasized in a national security environment and often in defense contractors. BLUF = Bottom Line Up Front.
Why would you reveal the point of your analysis up front? It is simple. This is “the hook” to get your audience interested. It is very possible you end up spending more than a minute here if the decision makers you’re engaged with are genuinely interested. This also serves as a roadmap for what you are about to deliver. Set the stage for what you’re delivering and why they care.
This is where many analysts fail. People that love exploring a topic often assume that others share the same passion.
Wrong.
In a business environment, time is precious and it is VERY unlikely that the intelligence analysis work you completed (that consumed weeks or even months) is something that most people will want to spend significant time exploring. This is very simple. Get to the damn point. If your BLUF is strong, that will both hook the audience and it sets forth the roadmap of where you’re going and why, so they have a foundation to understand what you’re delivering. Failing to “set the table” early on is only going to leave your audience confused about what you’re delivering and why they care.
Simple outline:
- Summarize 3-4 key findings
- Illustrate “why do you care?”
- Recommendations for action
Honesty
Your honest opinion and objective findings are critical to delivery. This honesty comes in different forms.
There is a concept in intelligence analysis called “analytic confidence.” In short, this is how confident you are in your own analysis. This will vary depending often on the quality of intelligence you could collect and your own understanding of a topic. There are those people who simply cannot admit to not fully understanding a topic or that they know there is limited intelligence available to execute a thorough analysis.
Be honest. Would you rather admit that you have some doubts in your analysis or would you rather let your ego and insecurities lead someone else to use your analysis to make a bad decision? Check your ego at the door.
Many analysts use levels of analytical confidence to communicate how sure they are in their conclusions. Be honest about this and communicate it because misleading decision makers in how confident you really are could lead to deeply flawed and disastrous decisions of which your work contributes.
Graphics
This is not just adding “pretty pictures.” This is a very useful means of communicating critical concepts. All too often, we use (and abuse) media such as the dreaded Microsoft Power Point. And just as often, it is delivered like a firing squad.
What do we mean? It’s a stream of bullets firing at the audience.
That’s right. It’s list of bullets at 9-point font written at the length of a book that even George R. R. Martin would fall asleep reading.
We are visual creatures and when you might have mere minutes to deliver your analysis, you have to drive home complex concepts with impact.
In whatever you deliver, ask yourself if a concept can be converted from words into a visual. This can be:
- A graph converting quantitative findings into a donut chart, bar chart, etc. to show sizes and relative positions
- A table style graphic that compares competitors to each other on important attributes and features of their offering
The FedSavvy Take
We want to deliver our work in a manner that is impactful. We all need to remember that most recipients just don’t have the time, the patience or maybe even inclination to experience the journey undertaken to complete analysis.
Be sure to get to the point. Be honest about your findings. Convey ideas in visuals to simplify them.
Above all, be fearless in your delivery so it is impactful and your hard work does not go to waste.
Would you like to learn more about delivering top notch analysis? Join us for our next webinar! Don’t forget our self-paced course on the entire intelligence process.
© FedSavvy Strategies and FedSavvy Strategies blog, 2012-2024. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to FedSavvy Strategies and FedSavvy Strategies blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
