I have my students (and analysts) make sure they can answer 5 questions as they begin thinking about their #intelligence product/brief:
1) when is it due (that’ll allow you to backwards plan & know how much time you’ll have for collection, analysis, editing, rehearsals
1) when is it due (that’ll allow you to backwards plan & know how much time you’ll have for collection, analysis, editing, rehearsals
2) Who is the primary customer? Audience analysis is easy to overlook. How do they absorb information? What are their interests & things that will shut them down?
Also: how might secondary customers (mis)use this information/product?
Also: how might secondary customers (mis)use this information/product?
3) what is the purpose of the product? What Key Intelligence Question is being answered?
4) What form of output is requested? The best 20 page product ever written isn’t much help if the customer wants a 2 minute briefing.
5) What is the context behind the request? Why is it being asked now and in this particular way?
Ideally, I recommend analysts should brief back answers to these questions to the requester at the start of a product just to make sure everyone understands what’s being asked for & sets expectations for delivery.
