The Intelligence Cycle

According to the Federation of American Scientists – FAS (2020), “the Intelligence Cycle is the process of developing raw information into finished intelligence for policymakers to use in decision making and action.” As FAS, further points out, at present, the intelligence cycle is made up of a total of 5 systematic steps. These have been identified as planning and direction, collection, processing, analysis and production, and dissemination. It is important to note that one of the criticisms that have been leveled against this particular cycle is that it tends to present the intelligence process as an overly simplified process.
To a large extent, the present cycle fails to take into consideration the fact that in contemporary settings, the amount of information to be analyzed has increased. This is more so the case given the increase in variables as well as related data from multiple sources. Next, the intelligence cycle also fails to embrace the reality that the collection of intelligence is increasingly becoming a rather challenging task. The impact in this case is that the process of transforming raw data into intelligence is more difficult than it was before. The present cycle is not also cognizant of the fact that the intelligence process today also incorporates more institutional players than was the case before.
On the basis of the issues identified above, I would suggest that the intelligence cycle be responsive to the needs of the modern day. Towards this end, the suggested process ought to be more functional. It is on this basis that Mark Lowenthal’s model is proposed as it appears to be more responsive to the concerns highlighted above despite its approach being rather multilayered. According to Frini (2011), this model “takes into account the needed iterations in order to answer issues that would likely arise (the need for more collection, uncertainties in processing, results of analysis, changing requirements, etc.” (p. 9). The model’s diagrammatic representation has been highlighted below:
Source: Frini
References
Frini, A. (2011). An intelligence process model based on a collaborative approach. Retrieved from https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a547105.pdf
Federation of American Scientists – FAS (2020). The Intelligence Cycle. Retrieved from https://fas.org/irp/cia/product/facttell/intcycle.htm