Intelligence Cycle

2) Planning and Direction -

Decisions are made regarding what types of information to collect and how to collect it. The National Intelligence Priorities Framework (NIPF) is the IC's process for articulating what issues are important, which then determines how to prioritize the use of intelligence resources.

GEOINT (Geospatial Intelligence)

is information describing, visually depicting, and accurately locating physical features and human activities on the Earth. Examples of GEOINT products include imagery, analyses, maps, and navigation charts. Imagery intelligence (IMINT) is a subset of GEOINT.

SIGINT (Signals Intelligence)

is information gathered from data transmissions,

MASINT (Measurement and Signature Intelligence)

is information produced by quantitative and qualitative analysis of physical attributes of targets and events in order to characterize and identify them.

HUMINT (Human Intelligence)

is intelligence derived from information collected and provided by human sources. This intelligence includes overt data collected by personnel in diplomatic and consular posts, as well as otherwise unobtainable information collected via clandestine sources of information, debriefings of foreign nationals and U.S. citizens who travel abroad, official contacts with foreign governments, and direct observation.

OSINT (Open Source Intelligence)

is publicly available information appearing in print or electronic forms, including radio, television, newspapers, journals, the Internet, commercial databases, videos, graphics, and drawings.

1) Intelligence Requirements

Intelligence needs that are specified by a decision maker, who passes the request to an intelligence agency, where an answer is developed and then disseminated. The formulation, setting, and evaluation of intelligence requirements are important elements of the intelligence cycle.

5) & 6) Analysis and Production -

Intelligence officers analyze processed information to turn it into finished intelligence. This may include drafting reports, evaluating the reliability of different sources of information, resolving data conflicts, and other analytic services. Intelligence reports typically integrate multiple sources of intelligence and the experience and knowledge of many different members of the IC.

7) Dissemination -

Intelligence reports are distributed to consumers.

4) Processing -

The Intelligence Community converts the information that is collected into a usable format, such as by language translation or decryption.

3) Collection -

The Intelligence Community gathers the raw data used to produce finished intelligence products. Collection can be from open sources, such as newspapers, or from clandestine sources, such as other people or technical means.

The Intelligence Cycle

is the process of developing raw information into finished intelligence for consumers to use in decision making and action. The cycle has seven steps, each of which drives the next step in the process.