Innovation

Motivation

Analyst Toolbox is a research program oriented to identifying and improving analysis techniques that permit structuring the human reasoning process so as to take advantage of its positive aspects and simultaneously reduce its inherent limitations.

Individuals analyze and evaluate information in a distorted manner: we listen to what we want to hear, we remember what we are interested in, and we pay more attention to the things we “are in tune with", etc.

Cognitive distortions can be understood as mental shortcuts that make automatic a great part of human behaviour. It is precisely this imperfect form of information processing that makes it possible for humans to respond to any given situation almost effortlessly.

Automaticity performs an essential function: acting right without thinking too much frees cognitive recourses making them available for the tasks that require them. Nevertheless, not everything is advantages. Cognitive distortions can be a pitfall when the goal of information processing is more demanding: establishing objectively the certainty of a fact, for example.

The job of an intelligence analyst, a researcher or a scientist is not to economize and shorten the analytical process by means of these cognitive shortcuts, but rather to be completely aware of this process in order to control possible deviations from it – thinking about thinking.

Goals

Analyst Toolbox is oriented to identifying and improving analysis techniques that permit to structure human reasoning process with the purpose to take advantage of its positive aspects and control the negative aspects mentioned above.

Analyst Toolbox intends to evaluate and select the most effective and robust analysis techniques independently of the field of application. Secondly, the goal of Analyst Toolbox is to systemize and facilitate the use of these techniques by means of computer applications. Finally, and it is closely connected with the global mission of the company, Analyst Toolbox has as its objective to extend the use of the analysis tools within the intelligence community with the purpose to provide the practice of the intelligence discipline with greater rigor, structure and standards.

Projects Derived from the Program Currently Underway

Analyst Toolbox contemplates design and development of applicative software, ISIS Analyst Toolbox Software, a solution within a range of products of ISIS, oriented to efficient handling of strategic information in organizations.

The program Analyst Toolbox and associated products contribute to the continuous innovation of nowIS improving the essential part of the intelligence process: structured analysis of information.

Public Funding

As a part of this program, the project ANALYST TOOLBOX SOFTWARE (ATS) has been recently submitted to the Avanza R+D Digital Contents and IT Solutions for SMEs and is currently being studied.