Imagery Intelligence (IMINT) Production Model

The Imagery Intelligence IMINT Production Model was developed as a part of a study entitled Investigation of Methodologies and Techniques for Intelligence Analysis, which is aimed at constructing a model of the cognitive processes underlying intelligence analysis. The approach to constructing such a model is based on the investigation of analytical processing in two types of single source analysis SIGINT and IMINT, subsequently generalizing to multisource analysis. For the purposes of this investigation, intelligence analysis was defined as a spectrum of analytical judgmental activities involved in the processing and production of intelligence, where particular individuals may devote more or less time to different aspects of such activities according to their individual roles in the intelligence cycle. Section 1 describes the IMINT model in the context of the study discussed above, and also treats the scope of the model and the collection of the information on which the model is based. Section 2 presents an overview of the model, describing findings about the role of the imagery interpretation analyst, the impact of management on analysis, the IMINT time dimension, and the special role of informal information channels in IMINT analysis. This section also describes the format of the model description, which is represented in terms of hierarchical input-process-output HIPO charts. Section 3 presents IMINT the model, production management activities and processing, analysis, and reporting activities.