An interdisciplinary approach to studying and improving terrorism analysis

The analysis of terrorism information requires sound human judgment amplified by well-integrated technical capabilities in the context of an intelligence mission. To that end, we present the first phase of our work to establish a methodology suitable for the study of terrorism analysis. We present an interdisciplinary approach built on a synthesis of engineering, cognitive, and mission perspectives that is intended to double the analytic capacity of a typical analyst. Our research methodology is based on the concept of analytic exercises, in which subjects function as analysts solving complex, realistic terrorism problems. The data we collect is used to identify effective work patterns and inform the design of analytic tools that overcome cognitive impediments to high-quality analysis.