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intelligence products may be described both in terms of their subject content and their
intended use. 33
Table 1. Types of Intelligence Product Categories
Source: adapted from Garst, “Components of Intelligence”
By Subject By Use
Biographic Research
Economic Current
Geographic Estimative
Military Operational
Political Scientific and Technical
Sociological
Scientific and Technical
Transportation and Communications
Warning
Any or all of these categories may be relevant to the private sector, depending upon the
particular firm’s product line and objectives in a given industry, market environment, and
geographic area.
A nation’s power or a firm’s success results from a combination of factors, so intelligence
producers and customers should examine potential adversaries and competitive
situations from as many relevant viewpoints as possible. A competitor’s economic
resources, political alignments, the number, education and health of its people, and
apparent objectives are all important in determining the ability of a country or a business
to exert influence on others. The eight subject categories of intelligence are
exhaustive, but they are not mutually exclusive. Although dividing intelligence into
subject areas is useful for analyzing information and administering production, it
should not become a rigid formula. Some intelligence services structure production into
geographic subject areas when their responsibilities warrant a broader perspective than
topical divisions would allow. 34
Similarly, characterization of intelligence by intended use applies to both government
and enterprise, and the categories again are exhaustive, but not mutually exclusive. The production
of basic research intelligence yields structured summaries of topics such as geographic,
demographic, and political studies, presented in handbooks, charts, maps, and the
like. Current intelligence addresses day-to-day events to apprise decisionmakers of new
developments and assess their significance. Estimative intelligence deals with what might
33 Ronald D. Garst, “Components of Intelligence,” in A Handbook of Intelligence Analysis, ed. Ronald D.
Garst, 2d ed. (Washington, DC: Defense Intelligence College, January 1989), 1; Central Intelligence Agency, A
Consumer’s Guide to Intelligence (Washington, DC: Public Affairs Staff, July 1995), 5-7.
34 Garst, Components of Intelligence, 2,3.
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