Turning OSINT Findings into an Intelligence Product

An OSINT investigation may produce a large collection of records, screenshots and analytical notes. That material is not automatically an intelligence product.

An intelligence product turns the relevant findings into something another person can understand and use. It explains what has been established, what remains uncertain, why the findings matter and, where appropriate, what action or further enquiry should be considered.

The goal of an intelligence product is to communicate the most important findings clearly, accurately and at the right level of detail for the recipient.

A useful intelligence product should allow the reader to understand:

• What question the investigation sought to answer
• What information was examined
• What the principal findings are
• Which findings are verified facts and which are assessments
• How strongly the conclusions are supported
• What limitations or intelligence gaps remain
• Why the findings matter
• What decision or action may be required
• Where the supporting material can be found

The underlying investigation record should preserve the full research process. The intelligence product distils that work into a form designed for a particular audience and purpose.

Start With the Intelligence Requirement

The intelligence requirement should determine what the product contains. Before drafting, return to the original questions. For example:

• Does the subject continue to reside at the last known address?
• Are these two businesses connected?
• Is this social media account likely to belong to the subject?
• What assets or business interests can be associated with the individual?
• What publicly identifiable risks are connected to the proposed business relationship?
• What is known about the people and companies within this network?

Each section of the product should therefore contribute to at least one of three purposes:

1. Answering the intelligence requirement
2. Explaining the basis or limitations of the answer
3. Identifying an important implication or further line of enquiry

If information does none of these things, it probably belongs in the case record rather than the finished product.