The Intelligence Cycle

AUTHOR'S NOTE :

The various and sundry fragments collected here — artsy and/or esoteric as they may appear even to the semi-trained eye — should NOT be mistaken for a good omen. These unfinished sketches are being published only now, following a secret practice of over 20 years' of original work with the enneagram, in preparation for precisely these tense times.

Although each is a stand-alone document, the reason for publishing them now (sooner than desired) is to indicate the Method, in the not unlikely case that I am rendered unable to serve as its Guide. The enneagram is the fundamental hieroglyph of a Universal Objective Language. It can be used not only to "read" people, predicaments and/or possibilities but, with practice, even to "write" them.

The versions here are intentionally incomplete, and not only because of the proven penchant for malpractice perpetrated unto others by even the well-intentioned (who are fewer than they the think). Self-mastery is not the purpose of the enneagram, but a requirement for its use at all, if not its study.

The 2020s have been predictably frightening no matter where in the world you find yourself, and this year will usher in an increasingly louder Wake Up Call whose most tragic flaw has been and will continue to be its involuntariness. These tense times are neither unique nor common in the record of the solar system and, as far as we mere humans are concerned, come in two varieties.

Meanwhile, language is not a mode of self-expression, but a technology, which is to say that it exists to serve a purpose — the enneagram is no different.

It was designed to collect, to retain and to transmit whole libraries of knowledge across 'rough patches' like these with minimal 'distortion'. That is not to say, of course, that the posh progressives of Pompeii lacked a robust self-help / self-importance subculture; rather, only that the volcano does not distinguish between good people and bad people.

Of course I have mixed feelings about being canceled, and not merely on social media (which bothers me least of all). Still, if any questions are forwarded to me then I might try to answer them, or not ... depending on Hazard and Providence.

My purpose, however, is to leave enough clues for the sly seeker to reverse-engineer the Method while mitigating both collateral self-harm (for the enneagram is a "hot potato") by the misguided and the longer-term potential for 'distortion'. If this note has a faintly unpleasant ring, that is merely the sound of the aforementioned tension.

Of its few odd dozens of speculative occurrences, or so they say, a handful of the time humanity feels the turbulence coming decades in advance and prepares inwardly for what thereby becomes a Golden Age of Cosmic Awakening (or the like), and the species makes permanent breakthroughs in its evolution. The rest of the time, it's ... well, the opposite.

? λ ε υ θ ε ρ ? α . . . ! ! !

The Intelligence Cycle, typically comprising five steps, serves as a structured process for transforming raw data into actionable intelligence.

The long-established existence of such a structure surely affirms the need for a methodical approach to intelligence gathering and analysis. The dynamic and unpredictable nature of the field, however, tends to deny the applicability of any rigidly structured process.

Introduction of the enneagram — nonrandomly comprising Three Sources and Six Steps — synthesizes these constraints within a fractal flowchart that guides the process while allowing for adaptation to specific needs.

1. PLAN & DIRECT - Create a standardized yet adaptable framework for collecting and organizing information about individual and/or institutional risks and/or opportunities, ensuring efficient input, retrieval, and analysis of pertinent data.

• Challenges: Defining the scope too narrowly or too broadly leads to either a glut of irrelevant data or missing crucial information.
• Points of Failure: Failure in accurately identifying intelligence requirements or allocating resources improperly.
• Best Practice: Adopt a dynamic scoping process with regular reviews to refine intelligence requirements based on evolving contexts.

Questions:

• How do we ensure that the framework remains adaptable to the evolving nature of intelligence gathering without compromising on standardization?
• In what ways can the planning process anticipate and incorporate the need for future adaptations based on emerging intelligence needs?

2. COLLECT - Gather information across key areas such as Biographical Details, Professional Background, Social Networks, Geographical Footprints, etc..

• Challenges: Bias in source selection or over-reliance on specific types of intelligence can skew the data collected.
• Points of Failure: Missing critical information due to limited sources or ignoring open-source intelligence (OSINT).
• Best Practice: Diversify intelligence sources, including human intelligence (HUMINT), signals intelligence (SIGINT), and OSINT, to cross-validate information.

Questions:

• What methodologies can be implemented to enhance the breadth and depth of data collection while ensuring the reliability of sources?
• How can the collection process be optimized to gather time-sensitive information effectively?

4. PROCESS - Categorize information into sections and sub-sections for clarity and to support both text and multimedia inputs.

• Challenges: Data overload can lead to significant information being overlooked. Moreover, the lack of effective filters or prioritization mechanisms compounds this issue.
• Points of Failure: Misinterpretation of data due to poor processing or analysis tools.
• Best Practice: Implement advanced data analytics and AI to manage and prioritize large datasets effectively.

Questions:

• What strategies can be employed to automate the processing of vast amounts of data while maintaining accuracy in categorization?
• How can the template ensure ease of access and interpretation of processed data for users with varying levels of expertise?

5. ANALYZE - Facilitate analysis of connections, patterns in behavior, risks, and opportunities for further investigation or engagement.

• Challenges: Cognitive biases and echo chambers can lead to flawed conclusions. There's also the risk of analysis paralysis, where decision-making is delayed due to excessive data.
• Points of Failure: Incorrect analysis due to confirmation bias or lack of interdisciplinary approaches.
• Best Practice: Foster a culture of critical thinking and encourage diverse analytical perspectives to challenge prevailing assumptions.

Questions:

• What analytical models or frameworks can be integrated into the template to support comprehensive risk assessments and pattern recognition?
• How can user feedback be incorporated to continually refine analytical capabilities of the template?

7. DISSEMINATE - Ensure the template format is easily shareable, editable, and updateable across multiple platforms for efficient information collation and sharing.

• Challenges: Information may not reach the relevant decision-makers in time, or it may be presented in a format that is not actionable.
• Points of Failure: Breakdown in communication channels or information silos that prevent intelligence sharing.
• Best Practice: Ensure that dissemination platforms are versatile and secure, facilitating swift and efficient communication.

Questions:

• What measures can be taken to secure sensitive information during the dissemination process?
• How can dissemination be tailored to meet the specific requirements of different stakeholders or teams?

8. FEEDBACK - Include a section for notes and observations to guide future updates or revisions based on user experience and changing information needs.

• Challenges: There is often a lack of structured mechanisms for feedback on the utility of the intelligence provided, leading to repeated mistakes.
• Points of Failure: Feedback is not systematically collected or acted upon, leading to stagnation in practices.
• Best Practice: Establish a continuous feedback loop with stakeholders to refine intelligence products and processes.

Questions:

• What mechanisms can be established to systematically collect and analyze user feedback?
• How can the feedback loop be structured to ensure that it leads to meaningful improvements in the template?

Reframing the Cycle in terms of its challenges and points of failure offers an opportunity to design best practices through the lens of critical review. By examining these various points of failure critically, it becomes possible to iteratively refine the whole, to mitigate risks and to enhance operational effectiveness.

? adrian dyer, 2024