Abstract
ABSTRACT Effective communication of information is essential to intelligence work. This paper identifies the main obstacles to good communication: policy-related challenges; cognitive impediments; resource limitations; cultural and structural issues within intelligence communities; and technical information. To illustrate, it examines four cases when poor communication contributed to intelligence shortcomings. Via questionnaire and document survey, the study identifies the current state of practice in UK intelligence communities. The survey of visualization documents currently in use revealed errors against established principles of Information Design. Thus, to ensure better handling and dissemination of intelligence, there is a distinct need to apply Information Design principles.
Highlights
Due to internal security, it was printed and distributed internally to 30 people within intelligence communities who deal with management-level resource allocation tasks
This study has established that effective visual communication of information is important; that there are many obstacles that stand in the way; that serious consequences can result from poor communication; and that current practice in UK intelligence communities seems to breach well established information design guidelines
As evidenced in this paper and in the Operational Improvement Review (OIR) commissioned by the Metropolitan Police Service and MI5, effective handling and exploitation of information is an increasingly essential component of modern intelligence work
Summary
It seems self-evident to write that intelligence is about information. it is important to emphasize that the latter is integral to every stage of the Intelligence Cycle. On the basis of theoretical and historical analysis, it identifies the main obstacles to good communication: policy-related challenges; cognitive impediments; resource limitations (especially in relation to information overload and time pressure); cultural and structural issues within intelligence communities; and technical and specialist information. To provide an historical basis for the analysis, the paper discusses four cases in which poor communication of information contributed to intelligence shortcomings: Pearl Harbor, 9/11, the UK’s 45 minute claim on the Iraqi WMD programme, and recent terror incidents in the UK. Because the literature on intelligence information communication is so scarce, the case studies cited include shortcomings in communication that relate to both sharing and forms of visual presentation. The work concludes with an analysis of the contribution information design and visualization can make to the communication of intelligence information
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