Contrarian Technique And Immaginative Thinking Techniques

The term Analytic tradecraft is synonymous with all things related with intelligence, although a meaningful definition of tradecraft escapes even some of the most senior intelligence officers. So what is Analytic tradecraft? In its more basic form, Analytic tradecraft is the methodology of decision making by which an analyst thinks, research’s, evaluates evidence, writes, and communicates their findings. This term was originally coined Jack Davis, one of the foremost instructors on the craft of analysis at the CIA and been used by the elite US Intelligence Community for decades. Over the years, it has continued to be refined and incorporated into every facet of intelligence as well as businesses. Today, it remains one of the most important aspects of analysis and to break it down into a more manageable …show more content…
These are Diagnostic Technique, Contrarian Technique, and Imaginative Thinking Technique (U.S. Government, 2009). Each of these techniques brings its own pros and cons to the table, with some even enhancing another. In this paper, we will be looking more in depth at the latter two techniques: Contrarian Technique, and Imaginative Thinking Technique. We will define each technique and compare and contrast their strengths and weaknesses, as well as discuss some of the sub-techniques associated with them.
The Contrarian Techniques, sometimes also referred to as the alternative analysis technique, is intended to challenge the conventional wisdom or currently understood truth behind a topic or subject (University of Foreign Military and Cultural Studies, 2012). This helps smalls group of analysts challenge their own dominant mindset, allowing to think “outside the box”. This technique has been