Review-PsychologyOfIntelAnalysis

Psychology of Intel Analysis by Heuer provides a good framework for analysts (not just intel analysts) to understand how they approach their craft, communicate their conclusions (internally and to the wider org), and think about what they do. Ultimately Heuer combines epistemology, logic, and history to provide a useful toolbox for analysts.

Key Takeaways:

• Be aware of biases and how to counter them
• Be open, not only to criticism, but also to different approaches
• No one person is an island, multiple people make for shallow bugs in the system
• Failure is useful but comes at a cost
• Be willing to let go of preconcieved notions and integrate new data (AKA: First impressions are hard to break, but need to be)
• More data isn’t necessarily useful data
• There will always be uncertainty and assumptions, call them out to allow for decision makers to understand how/why they are there