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Concept map

The intelligence cycle

Five stages through which intelligence turns a decision-maker’s question into an answer. Stage names follow the US Intelligence Community; the short descriptions are by the SpyOps.pl editors.1

  1. Direction

    Customers set out what they need to know, and intelligence sets priorities.

  2. Collection

    Information is gathered through various disciplines: HUMINT, SIGINT, IMINT, GEOINT, MASINT, OSINT.

  3. Processing

    Raw material is turned into a form that can be worked with: translated, decrypted, organised.

  4. Exploitation

    Analysts assess the information, bring it together and draw conclusions.

  5. Dissemination

    The results reach the customers, and their new questions start the next round.

↺ The results raise new questions and the cycle starts again.

Sources

  1. Office of the Director of National Intelligence (USA), What is Intelligence?

Checked: 3 November 2026