Sensemaking: A Structure for an Intelligence Revolution

by David T. Moore

"Sensemaking" is the inaugural book in our new series, titled The A. Denis Clift Series on the Intelligence Profession. The Clift Series will present original research on intelligence analysis and the teaching of intelligence. Sensemaking, whereby intelligence professionals would work with executive decisionmakers to explain data that are "sparse, noisy, and uncertain," requires an interpreter and experienced champion to bring about a practicable understanding and acceptance of the concept among intelligence practitioners. David Moore has accomplished that feat. Further, he, along with collaborators in chapters 5 and 7, demonstrate how sensemaking can be accomplished as a collaborative enterprise.

232 pages, Paperback

First published April 4, 2011

Reviews

[Ted]

The foundation of this book is the 1949 Kent-Kendall debate on national intelligence, with the author a proponent of Kendall’s vision. Moore ranges both broad and deep in his discussion of how to improve intelligence, from the concept of ‘wicked problems’, to complexity theory, decision science, macro-vs-micro cognition, and metrics of rigor. Although a true practical ‘structure for an intelligence revolution’ is never really provided, the author offers a great deal of substance to chew on in thinking about the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of intelligence analysis. But I don’t believe his alternative title of ‘sensemaker’ for intelligence analysts will catch on. Although it may be logically correct, it just sounds silly.