Abstract
Cognitive scientists question the effectiveness of structured analytic techniques (SATs), concluding there is no evidence they reduce biases. In some cases, SAT usage might even add new biases. Yet the U.S. Intelligence Community remains committed to promoting these techniques to improve analytic tradecraft, although some evidence suggests many analysts still do not use them. Practitioners themselves often see value in SATs but doubt they substitute for expertise and intuition. The IC needs a better understanding of how SATs improve analysis, and particularly, how they help generate insight, the key value-added for intelligence products. This article sizes up the current debate and offers practical suggestions on how SATs might best be used in light of current research.
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