Staying updated about analysis methods for CI? - Competitive Intelligence2024-03-29T11:28:23Zhttps://competitiveintelligence.ning.com/forum/topics/staying-updated-about-analysis?commentId=2036441%3AComment%3A34593&feed=yes&xn_auth=noDear all,
Thanks for creatin…tag:competitiveintelligence.ning.com,2010-07-03:2036441:Comment:346712010-07-03T05:19:42.516ZMikael Vingaardhttps://competitiveintelligence.ning.com/profile/MikaelVingaard
Dear all,<br />
<br />
Thanks for creating such interesting topic.<br />
<br />
My background is in a (somewhat) similar field, IT-Security (aka. Ethical Hacker)<br />
I think that CI is a very interesting field and I am eager to learn more.<br />
<br />
This is my very first post, but I hope I can bring some insight from a related<br />
field, in obtaining, analysing and using freely available on-line information<br />
<br />
In my personal opinion, one of the biggest security risks to large companies today,<br />
are the lack of information awareness.<br />
<br />
I…
Dear all,<br />
<br />
Thanks for creating such interesting topic.<br />
<br />
My background is in a (somewhat) similar field, IT-Security (aka. Ethical Hacker)<br />
I think that CI is a very interesting field and I am eager to learn more.<br />
<br />
This is my very first post, but I hope I can bring some insight from a related<br />
field, in obtaining, analysing and using freely available on-line information<br />
<br />
In my personal opinion, one of the biggest security risks to large companies today,<br />
are the lack of information awareness.<br />
<br />
I have many times seen an employee posting sensitive information on public fora, like<br />
the type of security devices they use to keep strangers away from the internet gateway, with<br />
all the configuration information, so anyone could breach the security, if they want to do so.<br />
(and that is from the people who get paid for keeping the company secured!).<br />
<br />
Imagined that you could get a 'early warning' alert every time your client's named<br />
competitor e.g. registers a new internet domain, not putting it on-line, but just buying a domain.<br />
<br />
By having this info, you can search for this reference and will often find that a person is<br />
describing the actual projects in details (some People tents to brag/share openly on social<br />
networks like face book /Twitter etc.) 'couse only they friends would be 'interested' in the information.<br />
- Nothing could be further from the true about the internet.<br />
<br />
Have you ever read a PDF document and wished that you could know who the author was?<br />
Actual you can gain a lot of inside information from something as boring as a PDF file, Picture or similar files. On most documents you can extract the author name and many other things that can outline a competitor’s setup - and potential show any future product roadmap to you.<br />
<br />
In the information field there are a huge collaboration in creating tools and giving input/improvements back and I think topics like this one, can do the same for CI.<br />
<br />
My bottom line for this long reply are, that I can use tools/ methods found in the CI Community to assist me in my work and often CI professional may benefit from public available tools from the Security Community.<br />
<br />
I am looking much forward to spend more time on learning CI tools and methods,<br />
Thanks for your time reading this,<br />
<br />
Mikael I've decided to follow your a…tag:competitiveintelligence.ning.com,2010-07-02:2036441:Comment:346642010-07-02T19:25:17.529ZHenrik Sköldhttps://competitiveintelligence.ning.com/profile/HenrikSkold
I've decided to follow your and others' advice - there is now a subgroup called <a href="http://www.ci2020.com/group/cianalysis" target="_blank">http://www.ci2020.com/group/cianalysis</a>. I hope you would all like to join it!<br />
<br />
Thank you for valuable input so far; looking forward to a continued discussion.<br />
<br />
Henrik
I've decided to follow your and others' advice - there is now a subgroup called <a href="http://www.ci2020.com/group/cianalysis" target="_blank">http://www.ci2020.com/group/cianalysis</a>. I hope you would all like to join it!<br />
<br />
Thank you for valuable input so far; looking forward to a continued discussion.<br />
<br />
Henrik Yes -- it's not so much that…tag:competitiveintelligence.ning.com,2010-07-02:2036441:Comment:346612010-07-02T19:10:30.418ZAnna F. Shallenbergerhttps://competitiveintelligence.ning.com/profile/AnnaFShallenberger
Yes -- it's not so much that something new like NPS is all bad. It has value.<br />
<br />
But when one over-weights a concept [although weighting / relative importance is always subjective] one can lose perspective.<br />
<br />
It sort circles around to comments I made today around experts. Finding that balance between leveraging what one understands or [theoretically] knows already and being open to and/or proactively conceptualizes very alternate possibilities / processes is really one our greatest…
Yes -- it's not so much that something new like NPS is all bad. It has value.<br />
<br />
But when one over-weights a concept [although weighting / relative importance is always subjective] one can lose perspective.<br />
<br />
It sort circles around to comments I made today around experts. Finding that balance between leveraging what one understands or [theoretically] knows already and being open to and/or proactively conceptualizes very alternate possibilities / processes is really one our greatest challenges.<br />
<br />
The whole, "How do you know what you don't know" thing... Great example with NPS - I've…tag:competitiveintelligence.ning.com,2010-07-02:2036441:Comment:346572010-07-02T18:51:12.324ZArik Johnsonhttps://competitiveintelligence.ning.com/profile/ArikJohnson
Great example with NPS - I've seen whole businesses structured around that quant - Charles Schwab actually reorganized around the "10s and 9s" from website to physical stores.
Great example with NPS - I've seen whole businesses structured around that quant - Charles Schwab actually reorganized around the "10s and 9s" from website to physical stores. If you do start a CI2020 sub-…tag:competitiveintelligence.ning.com,2010-07-02:2036441:Comment:346432010-07-02T18:24:04.625ZAnna F. Shallenbergerhttps://competitiveintelligence.ning.com/profile/AnnaFShallenberger
If you do start a CI2020 sub-group for this -- I know many who would be interested in joining.<br />
<br />
I concur with Arik & Babette's points -- and highly recommend her books as well. I've personally found them very helpful, something I keep right next to my desk.<br />
<br />
My concern with latest/greatest is that I've found management sometime enamored with the fad of the moment. Net Promoter Score is one that comes to mind. More an approach than an analytical tool, but it describes the sentiment. Said…
If you do start a CI2020 sub-group for this -- I know many who would be interested in joining.<br />
<br />
I concur with Arik & Babette's points -- and highly recommend her books as well. I've personally found them very helpful, something I keep right next to my desk.<br />
<br />
My concern with latest/greatest is that I've found management sometime enamored with the fad of the moment. Net Promoter Score is one that comes to mind. More an approach than an analytical tool, but it describes the sentiment. Said tool may or may not be relevant to the issue they are looking at, nor without limitations. Ulrich
I must admit that I a…tag:competitiveintelligence.ning.com,2010-07-02:2036441:Comment:346372010-07-02T05:56:05.588ZHenrik Sköldhttps://competitiveintelligence.ning.com/profile/HenrikSkold
Ulrich<br />
<br />
I must admit that I am far from able to say that I have read all management theories known to mankind... However, your answer is still very motivating! We'll see if I'm on the brink of something new or just chasing ghosts.<br />
<br />
Thanks,<br />
Henrik
Ulrich<br />
<br />
I must admit that I am far from able to say that I have read all management theories known to mankind... However, your answer is still very motivating! We'll see if I'm on the brink of something new or just chasing ghosts.<br />
<br />
Thanks,<br />
Henrik Dorai,
Of course, that's a g…tag:competitiveintelligence.ning.com,2010-07-02:2036441:Comment:346362010-07-02T05:52:23.646ZHenrik Sköldhttps://competitiveintelligence.ning.com/profile/HenrikSkold
Dorai,<br />
<br />
Of course, that's a good point!<br />
<br />
Henrik
Dorai,<br />
<br />
Of course, that's a good point!<br />
<br />
Henrik Babette,
Thanks for your res…tag:competitiveintelligence.ning.com,2010-07-02:2036441:Comment:346352010-07-02T05:50:12.642ZHenrik Sköldhttps://competitiveintelligence.ning.com/profile/HenrikSkold
Babette,<br />
<br />
Thanks for your response. I absolutely agree with you concerning the science and art issue, and that understanding the limitations and/or strengths of a tool enables one to tweak it, and come a bit further. Also, complicated techniques definitely raise a barrier between the client and his/her insight about the issue at hand.<br />
<br />
As to the CI project being similar, I have the same experience. However, one thing that I try to stay aware of is my tendency to believe that they are indeed…
Babette,<br />
<br />
Thanks for your response. I absolutely agree with you concerning the science and art issue, and that understanding the limitations and/or strengths of a tool enables one to tweak it, and come a bit further. Also, complicated techniques definitely raise a barrier between the client and his/her insight about the issue at hand.<br />
<br />
As to the CI project being similar, I have the same experience. However, one thing that I try to stay aware of is my tendency to believe that they are indeed similar - and that the same tools are the best ones to solve them. As we all know, sometimes (often) the client doesn't have a well-articulated view of the problem, so there is the dialogue between the consultant and the client to reach a valid starting point for the project. In doing so, a larger toolbox might enable me to be less prone to "classify" the client's issue to early, I guess, whereas "If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to se every problem as a nail" (Abraham Maslow).<br />
<br />
Maybe I'm over-analyzing here - people usually say that I seem to have a profession that fits my personality... But it feels good to do a reality check and get all these great responses from the community! Wait, a CI analyst actually a…tag:competitiveintelligence.ning.com,2010-07-02:2036441:Comment:346332010-07-02T03:44:00.972ZEric Garlandhttps://competitiveintelligence.ning.com/profile/EricGarland
Wait, a CI analyst actually analyzing...CI? How ironic and useful.
Wait, a CI analyst actually analyzing...CI? How ironic and useful. Henrik
That is such a great…tag:competitiveintelligence.ning.com,2010-07-02:2036441:Comment:346272010-07-02T01:06:16.183ZBabette Bensoussanhttps://competitiveintelligence.ning.com/profile/BabetteBensoussan
Henrik<br />
<br />
That is such a great question and Arik's response is just amazing.... Got me too thinking of other things.<br />
<br />
Aside from information collection techniques and an understanding of ourselves vis a vis blindspots, the key to the CI process as we all know is the analysis.<br />
<br />
The short answer to your question however is that I personally keep playing with new and different techniques I come across or have written about when an appropriate intelligence question arises.<br />
<br />
I see analysis truly as a…
Henrik<br />
<br />
That is such a great question and Arik's response is just amazing.... Got me too thinking of other things.<br />
<br />
Aside from information collection techniques and an understanding of ourselves vis a vis blindspots, the key to the CI process as we all know is the analysis.<br />
<br />
The short answer to your question however is that I personally keep playing with new and different techniques I come across or have written about when an appropriate intelligence question arises.<br />
<br />
I see analysis truly as a mixture of both art and science and tend to define analysis as a multidisciplinary combination of scientific and non-scientific processes by which an individual interprets data or information to produce insightful intelligence findings and recommendations for action.<br />
<br />
For me, this means that analysis is constantly evolving in light of the issue at hand. We can use some tools that are well known (science) and then give them a little twist (art) or combine well known techniques together (ie The Nine Forces) to assist with the examination of the information.<br />
<br />
Surprisingly over the past 15 years of doing CI assignments, I have found two key learnings have stood out.<br />
<br />
Firstly, executives in companies tend to ask the same questions over and over again. I have done over 300 CI projects and have to say I do not frequently have the opportunity to move out of the same dozen techniques. Why?<br />
<br />
Two reasons – 1. because my CI clients questions were essentially the same. The words may have been different but the end goal was the same – Should I enter this market? What are my competitors up to – I heard this rumour? Is there a market for this new product idea? Etc. etc. 2. Trying to explain complicated rather than simplified analytical techniques tended to distance the client from the project and the insight.<br />
<br />
The second learning I have gained is that evolving analysis works well when the persons applying the techniques understand the basic analytical process of a particular tool well. This allows for what I call creativity. Because you understand the limitations and/or strengths of a tool or tools, you are able to devise ways to enhance the value of the output.<br />
<br />
When Craig and I wrote our first two books on analysis, we identified over 200 analytical techniques in management – some old, some new, some easy, some complicated. The question is which ones are right for you?<br />
<br />
As I mentioned earlier, I think that will depend on what your intelligence questions are and how much time you have to answer them. So if you want to stay aware, and learning, of different analytical techniques, my suggestion would be to read and then practice, practice, practice with all the different intelligence questions you face in your role. Sorry there is no easier way!<br />
<br />
As a cynic I would also suggest that many people don't actual apply analysis in their CI process but rather synthesis (see Arik's comment).<br />
<br />
I am happy to discuss this further with you to address specific issues you may have and to share my favourite tool box. I will share if you will!!