On Demand - Structured Analytic Techniques

Structured analysis is a mechanism by which internal thought processes are externalized systematically and transparently so that they can be shared. We continually enhance existing techniques while adding new options.

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Structured Analytic Techniques

On-demand, Private, or Managed

This course takes from the best of the intelligence community, academia, and years of hands-on activities to move your cyber threat intelligence program to a sustainable model, adding real value to all stakeholders. We set students up for success by building a model that moves cyber threat intelligence functions to the role of trusted advisor assisting in business decision-making. The course not only educates the student but prepares the student to educate leadership and integrate it into corporate business processes while delivering timely intelligence. We help students get to the point where they understand the challenges of corporate decision-makers using inside and outside sources.

The course is timely, contextually needed, and moves the market while establishing the cyber threat intelligence analyst as a true discipline greatly needed in all corporate environments.

As practiced in the intelligence, law enforcement, and business communities, analysis is steadily evolving from a mental activity done predominantly by a sole analyst to a collaborative team or group activity. The driving forces behind this transition include the growing complexity of international issues and the consequent requirement for multidisciplinary input to most analytic products. The need to share more information quickly across organizational boundaries. The dispersion of expertise, especially as the boundaries between analysts, collectors, operators, and stakeholders become blurred. The need to identify and evaluate the validity of alternative mental models. There is a need to counter the use of social media to distribute Digital Disinformation or fake news.

The Structured Analytic Techniques class contains lectures, readings, and exercises using the techniques covered and the templates provided.

We intend to ensure you learn. We know everyone has a life, and work requirements come up that must be addressed. We want students to stay steady with the lectures and readings to maintain course continuity and flow, but we adjust for you as needed.

Structured Analytic Techniques involve a step-by-step process that externalizes the analyst’s thinking in a manner that makes it readily apparent to others, enabling it to be reviewed, discussed, and critiqued piece by piece. For this reason, structured analysis usually becomes a collaborative effort in which the transparency of the analytic process exposes participating analysts to divergent or conflicting perspectives. We believe this type of analysis helps to mitigate some of the adverse effects of a single analyst’s cognitive limitations, an ingrained mindset, and the whole range of cognitive biases, misapplied heuristics, and intuitive traps. Frequently used techniques include Cluster Brainstorming, Foresight analysis, Indicators, Analysis of Competing Hypotheses, and Key Assumptions Check. Structured techniques are taught in undergraduate and graduate school programs as well as many intelligence service training courses and can be used by analysts who do not have a background in statistics, advanced mathematics, or the hard sciences. We cover the method, the value of the method, when and how to use the following non-inclusively (including templates for immediate use):
  1. Cluster Brainstorming
    1. Simple Brainstorming
    2. Nominal Group Technique
    3. Circleboarding
    4. Starbursting
    5. Mind Maps and Concept Maps
    6. Venn Analysis
    7. Network Analysis
  2. Key Assumptions and Key Assumptions Check
  3. Chronologies and Timelines
  4. Cross-Impact Matrix
  5. Multiple Hypothesis Generation
    1. Simple Hypotheses
    2. Quadrant Hypothesis Generation
    3. Multiple Hypotheses Generator
  6. Diagnostic Reasoning
  7. Analytics of Competing Hypotheses
  8. Inconsistencies Finder
  9. Deception Detection
  10. Argument Mapping
  11. Cause and Effect Techniques
  12. Outside-In Thinking
  13. Structured Analogies
  14. Quadrant Crunching
  15. Premortem Analysis and Structured Self-Critique
  16. What-If Analysis
  17. High Impact/Low Probability Analysis
  18. Delphi Method
  19. Conflict Management Techniques
  20. Alternative Futures Analysis
  21. Multiple Scenarios Generation
  22. Morphological Analysis
  23. Indicators Generation, Validation, and Evaluation
  24. Impact Matrix
  25. Decision Matrix
  26. Force Field Analysis
  27. Social Networks and Analytic Teams
  28. Collaborative Processes
  29. Common Pitfalls
  30. Advocacy versus Objective Inquiry
  31. Sorting, ranking, scoring, prioritizing
  32. Paired Comparison
  33. Weighting
  34. Scenario Development
  35. Estimating and Forecasting
  36. Indicators of Change - Signposts - Monitoring
  37. Cone of Plausibility

H., Pherson Randolph; Heuer Jr. Richards J.. Structured Analytic Techniques for Intelligence Analysis (p. 3). SAGE Publications


Your Instructor


Jeff Bardin
Jeff Bardin

Former adjunct professor of Cyber Intelligence, Counterintelligence, and Cybercrime (Utica College) and Information Security Risk Management (Clark University). Experienced in cyber intelligence lifecycle services and support, cyber counterintelligence services and analysis, active defense and cyber operations. Commercially teach Cyber Intelligence (Anonymity, Sockpuppets, Cyber Collection, Clandestine Cyber HUMINT, Socio-Cultural Aspects of Intelligence, Lifecycle, Critical Thinking, Cognitive Bias, Methods and Types of Analysis and Methods, Structured Analytic Techniques, Analytic Writing, BLUF/AIMS Delivery, and Dissemination), Jihadist Online Recruitment Methods, cyber influence operations, high-value target development, deception planning, deception operations management, Middle Eastern Cyber Warfare Doctrine, adversary dossier development and social-cultural analysis, jihadist training and gaming as a method of training, information and intelligence sharing, threat intelligence platform selection, non-inclusively.

Jeff Bardin is the Chief Intelligence Officer for Treadstone 71 with clients on 4 continents. In 2007, Jeff received the RSA Conference award for Excellence in the Field of Security Practices. His team also won the 2007 SC Magazine Award – Best Security Team. Jeff sits or has sat on the Board of Boston Infragard, Content Raven, Journal of Law and Cyber Warfare, and Wisegate and was a founding member of the Cloud Security Alliance. Jeff served in the USAF as a cryptologic linguist and in the US Army / US Army National Guard as an armor officer, armored scout platoon leader.

Mr. Bardin has extensive experience in cyber intelligence lifecycle services, program builds, targeted research and support, cyber counterintelligence services and analysis, deception planning, and cyber operations. He teaches Cyber Intelligence and Counterintelligence (Anonymity, Cyber Personas, Collection management, Clandestine Cyber HUMINT, Socio-Cultural Aspects of Intelligence, Critical Thinking, Cognitive Bias, Methods and Types of Analysis, Mitre ATT&CK, Structured Analytic Techniques, Analytic Writing, Briefings, and Dissemination), open source intelligence, strategic intelligence, operational/tactical/technical intelligence, and methods in media manipulation identification.

He has BA in Special Studies - Middle East Studies & Language from Trinity College and an MS in Information Assurance from Norwich University. Jeff also attended the Middlebury College Language School for additional language training. Mr. Bardin also spent two+ years studying Russian history, literature, political systems, and language. He lived and worked in the Mediterranean area, Europe, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, the Persian Gulf Region, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Jeff was an adjunct instructor of master’s programs in cyber intelligence, counterintelligence, cybercrime and cyberterrorism at Utica College. Mr. Bardin has also appeared on CNN, CBS News Live, FoxNews, BBCRadio, i24News, BBN, and several other news outlets and has contributed bylines to Business Insider non-inclusively.

We started teaching these courses in 2009 and have continued to update and hone them while maintaining true to the intelligence community standards. We have since built cyber threat intelligence programs for Fortune 500 firms and government organizations on four continents while providing targeted research against adversaries and nation-states.

Treadstone 71:

We founded the company in 2002 and started creating cyber personas and infiltrating al-Qaeda sites collecting information and sharing it with various US-based organizations in 2004. In 2009-10, we started teaching Cyber Intelligence, Cyber CounterIntelligence and Cyber Crime courses at the master’s level at Utica College where we established the intelligence program. After three years of teaching at the academic level, we switched to the commercial space honing the courses to CIA/DIA style tradecraft as aligned to the cyber environment using the skills acquired in 2004. Since that time, we have continued to update the courses using real-world case studies as part of the training.

We have kept the company purposely small and now offer the training courses (www.treadstone71.com/cyber-intelligence-trainingan... www.cyberinteltrainingcenter.com) as well as Cyber Threat Intelligence maturity assessments, strategic and program planning, active research, collection, and reporting. We also perform Threat Intel Platform assessments, selection, and rollout activities for clients. We have clients in the US, EU, Australia, and Asia with active proposals in the Middle East. My personal background is as an Arabic Linguist (USAF / NSA), Russian Linguist, and CISO financial services, government contracts, insurance, and cybersecurity vendors. We have also acted as a critical resource for government CISOs in the past authoring their agency strategic plans, program plans and responding to Congressional inquiries on their behalf.

Jeff has spoken at RSA, NATO CyCon (Estonia), the US Naval Academy, the Air Force Institute of Technology, the Johns Hopkins Research Labs, Hacker Halted, Malaysian Cyberjaya, Secureworld Expo, Hacktivity (Budapest), IS2 Prague, London (RSA), ISSA, Security Camp (Cairo), and several other conferences and organizations.

Mr. Bardin has authored books and contributed chapters to several other books most recently Current and Emerging Trends in Cyber Operations from George Washington University. Recently edited and provided content for Understanding Computers: Today and Tomorrow by Deborah Morley, Charles S Parker - 11th edition (March 2006 release). Reviewer for Building an Information Security Risk Management Program from the Ground Up (Evan Wheeler), Author Chapter 33 Computer Information Security Handbook 5th Edition - SAN Security. Author Chapter on Satellite Security - Computer Information Security Handbook 6th Edition. Author - The Illusion of Due Diligence - Notes from the CISO Underground (April 2010 release).

Treadstone 71 is a pure play intelligence company focusing on targeted research of adversaries building in-depth dossiers recording methods, tactics, techniques, procedures, known associates, memberships and psychological profiles. We author Current, Research/Foundational, Advisories, STEMPLES Plus, and Estimative Intelligence reports. We create profiles of high value targets including ‘know your customer’ profiles delivering assessments and gaps in protections with recommendations and opportunities.

We are known for building Strategic Intelligence Programs from vision, mission, guiding principles, goals, objectives, 36-month plans, policies, procedures, process flows, SOPs, KPIs, CSFs, training and awareness programs for intelligence. We also help establish internal intelligence community programs from technical and tactical to operational and strategic including physical, competitive, business, and cyber.

We have taught classes to and/or worked with/for:

AIB, American Express, Capital One, NATO, Belgian Military Intelligence, Commonwealth Bank, Bank of America, ING, NCSC NL, American Electric Power, Nationwide, Battelle, Standard Chartered, Columbus Collaboratory, Anomali, Defense Security Services, PNY, Dell Secureworks, HPE Security, EclecticIQ, Darkmatter (AE), General Electric, General Motors, PNC, Sony, Goldman Sachs, NASA, DoD, East West Bank, Naval Air Warfare Center, VISA, USBank, Wyndham Capital, Egyptian Government, DNB Norway, Euroclear, Malaysian Cyberjaya, People's United Bank, Baupost Group, Bank of North Carolina, Cardinal Health, Huntington, L Brands, OhioHealth, Fidelity Investments, Citi, Citigroup, T. Rowe Price, Wells Fargo, Davis Polk, Thrift Savings Plan, Discover, Equifax, Blackknight Financial Services, Schwab, GM, FRB, Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), Citizens Financial Group, Cleveland Clinic, Scottrade, MetLife, NY Life, Essent, Harvard University, Charles River Associates, Synchrony Financial, In-Q-Tel, TD Ameritrade, First Citizens Bank, M&T Bank, Western & Southern, American National Bank of TX, National Reconnaissance Office, OCBC Bank Singapore, Spentera, FBI, W.R. Berkley, F-Secure, People’s United Bank, Stellar Solutions, Lockheed Martin, Harvard Pilgrim, Symantec, State of Florida, Deloitte, Ernst and Young, Mitsubishi UFG Trust and Banking Corporation, Target, Tri Counties Bank, Mass Mutual, Tower Research, Latham and Watkins LLP, Geller & Company, KeyBank, Northern Trust, Fannie Mae, BB&T, Blue Cross Blue Shield Michigan, Farm Credit Services of America, Aviation ISAC, Regions Financial Corporation, Intercontinental Exchange (The ICE), Vista Equity Partners, JP Morgan Chase, Archer Daniels Midland, Nacha, Barclays, Options Clearing Corporation (OCC), Expo2020, Abu Dhabi Smart Solution's and Services Authority, Merck & Co., Inc Nomura International, ING, Finance CERT Norway, iPipeline, BBVA, PenFED, Santander, Bank of America, Equifax, BNY Mellon, UBS Group, OCC, Verizon, Vantiv, Raymond James, Bridgewater Associates, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, BBVA, Promontory Interfinancial Network, Bank of Canada, Credit Suisse, HSBC, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Ocean First Bank, International Exchange, Splunk, Vero Skatt, Ernst & Young, Relativity, Ultimate Software, Vista Equity Partners, Aetna, QBE Insurance Group, ACI Universal Payments, Betaalvereniging Nederland, Dutch Police, Motorola Solutions, Intel Corporation, Salesforce, Singapore Ministry of Defence, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ), National Australia Bank Limited, non-inclusively (as well as several other firms by proxy as they hire qualified intelligence professionals trained by Treadstone 71).

Focus on targeted research of adversaries building in-depth dossiers recording methods, tactics, techniques, procedures, known associates, memberships and psychological profiles. Author Current, Research/Foundational, PESTELI, deception planning and operations, psychological operations, and Estimative Intelligence reports. Create profiles of high value targets including ‘know your customer’ profiles delivering assessments and gaps in protections with recommendations and opportunities.

Strategic Intelligence Program builds from vision, mission, guiding principles, goals, objectives, 36-month plans, policies, procedures, process flows, SOPs, KPIs, CSFs, training and awareness programs for intelligence. Building internal intelligence community programs from technical and tactical to operational and strategic including physical, competitive, business, and cyber.


Frequently Asked Questions


When does the course start and finish?
On-demand course that runs up to 10 weeks Extendable as needed. Helps you build your cyber intelligence program. Advanced Structured Analytic Techniques (SATS) includes the textbook and worksheets.
How long do I have access to the course?
10 weeks minimum
We cover the method, the value of the method, when and how to use the following non-inclusively (including templates for immediate use):
  1. Cluster Brainstorming
    1. Simple Brainstorming
    2. Nominal Group Technique
    3. Circleboarding
    4. Starbursting
    5. Mind Maps and Concept Maps
    6. Venn Analysis
    7. Network Analysis
  2. Key Assumptions and Key Assumptions Check
  3. Chronologies and Timelines
  4. Cross-Impact Matrix
  5. Multiple Hypothesis Generation
    1. Simple Hypotheses
    2. Quadrant Hypothesis Generation
    3. Multiple Hypotheses Generator
  6. Diagnostic Reasoning
  7. Analytics of Competing Hypotheses
  8. Inconsistencies Finder
  9. Deception Detection
  10. Argument Mapping
  11. Cause and Effect Techniques
  12. Outside-In Thinking
  13. Structured Analogies
  14. Quadrant Crunching
  15. Premortem Analysis and Structured Self-Critique
  16. What-If Analysis
  17. High Impact/Low Probability Analysis
  18. Delphi Method
  19. Conflict Management Techniques
  20. Alternative Futures Analysis
  21. Multiple Scenarios Generation
  22. Morphological Analysis
  23. Indicators Generation, Validation, and Evaluation
  24. Impact Matrix
  25. Decision Matrix
  26. Force Field Analysis
  27. Social Networks and Analytic Teams
  28. Collaborative Processes
  29. Common Pitfalls
  30. Advocacy versus Objective Inquiry
  31. Sorting, ranking, scoring, prioritizing
  32. Paired Comparison
  33. Weighting
  34. Scenarios
  35. Indicators of Change - Signpoints - Identify-Monitor
  36. Cone of Plausibility
  37. Forecasting - Estimating

H., Pherson Randolph; Heuer Jr. Richards J.. Structured Analytic Techniques for Intelligence Analysis (p. 3). SAGE Publications

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