In this section
The life of a project
The start of any project involves a meeting with my customers to discuss the requirements of my analysis. For example, on a recent project, a deputy director wanted analysis on tax credit applications made by single claimants. It is important to negotiate what is realistic and achievable, then all of this goes into the terms of reference (essentially a project contract which clearly documents our agreement). Throughout the course of my analysis I hold meetings with various teams such as the National Intelligence Unit and Criminal Investigation to gather additional information; this improves my understanding of the topic and helps me identify the key issues.
To wrap up the project I produce a clearly written report, this addresses the points agreed in the terms of reference and provides a number of recommendations for future action. Before publishing my analytical report to the wider intelligence analysis community, I normally hold a meeting to present my findings to my customers. I present the salient points that I’ve identified as having the most impact and significance on the business. Recommendations are also presented and I ‘sell’ these by demonstrating the benefits of adopting them, such as reducing the value of fraud taking place.
Owen, Officer Intelligence Analyst