Analysts and analysts alone create intelligence. Although technological marvels assist analysts by cataloging and presenting data, information, and evidence in new ways, they do not do analysis. To be most effective, analysts need an overarching, re?ective framework to add structured reasoning to sound, intuitive thinking. “Critical thinking” provides such a framework and goes further, positively in?uencing the entire intelligence analysis process. Analysts who adopt critical thinking stand to improve their analyses.
Learning Objectives
Do you know your biases? Do you know those of your teammates? Does bias show up in your analysis and writing?
A cognitive bias is a systematic pattern of deviation from norm or rationality in judgment. Individuals create their own "subjective reality" from their perception of the input. An individual's construction of reality, not the objective input, may dictate their behavior in the world. Thus, cognitive biases may sometimes lead to perceptual distortion, inaccurate judgment, illogical interpretation, or what is broadly called irrationality.
This course, created in 2008, continues to morph and update cyber intelligence changes. Learning critical thinking and cognitive bias must be a part of your cyber threat intelligence program. These are perishable skills.