Graph-based comparisons of scenarios in intelligence analysis

Abstract

Intelligence analysis relies heavily on extracting relevant information from history and using this information as models and context for interpreting evolving situations. Yet, intelligence analysts are severely limited in their capacity to identify and recall relevant past situations and cases, and the analyses that were performed on them. The typical intelligence case is a folder of disjoint memos, reports, photographs, and audio recordings. It may also contain analysis summaries captured in report form that highlight key results and findings from analyses. Unfortunately, the details of the analyses that could provide rich, contextual sources of comparison are commonly not captured nor saved for future reuse. The goal of the scenario and knowledge framework for Intelligence Analysis project at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is to develop an effective, computable representation for capturing intelligence analyses in their full contexts and an analytical framework from which these analysis representations may be explored and compared.