It is so easy to make this mistake. Collecting intelligence. If it was that easy, why then would we need an intelligence service? We collect information, we produce intelligence.
Just as a little reminder, the (very much simplified) process outline is as follows:
- Find and retrieve data ;
- Analyse the data to produce information. Information is an ordered, systematic, deduplicated, functional representative selection of available data that matches the intelligence requirement ;
- Analyse the information to produce an intelligence report. Intelligence a.o. explains, interprets, predicts, gives an outlook, anticipates, assess implications, compares, provides actionable insight ;
- Decision. Based on the (multiple) intelligence report a decision-maker decides on something ;
- Change. Decisions translated into actions that bring about change.
Decision without change is pointless.
A change without decisions is guesswork.
In other words, one never gets or receives intelligence. One receives information.
Any intelligence report send to me is by me regarded as information, until I have analysed the information at which point it becomes intelligence. In the case of an intelligence report sent to me, my analysis process can be very fast, depending on the source (author, corporation, affiliation, institute etc.) of the report. If it is an information report, then my analysis process is probably much longer.
One never collects intelligence. One never gets intelligence. One creates intelligence.
