Joint Intelligence Graphical Situation Awareness Web (JIGSAW): Web-based Threat Assessment for Cross-Cultural Intelligence Analysis

Accurate cross-cultural intelligence analysis of rapidly developing threats is extremely difficult when the environment is characterized by dispersed and fragmentary data, cross-cultural differences, and inherent cognitive predispositions to exhibit biased information integration. In Phase I, Pacific Science & Engineering Group, Inc. successfully developed and demonstrated the feasibility of a concept for a Web-based decision support system for collaborative intelligence analysis called JIGSAW (Joint Intelligence Graphical Situation Awareness Web). In essence, JIGSAW creates a new coordinating representation for coalition intelligence analysis that structures and clarifies the discourse between analysts. Discourse is structured through analysts posting each other consistently formatted, information objects (Intelligence Posts or ÒI-PostsÓ). Discourse is clarified through the use of a novel graphical evaluation space (Intelligence Landscape or ÒI-ScapeÓ) that coordinates analyst's input. The Phase II proposal takes JIGSAW to the next level. In four work threads, PSE will (1) research, (2) develop, (3) validate and (4) identify a transition path for, a functional Web-based JIGSAW prototype. Two applied experiments will be conducted to determine JIGSAW's generalizability. Two operational exercises will be attended to showcase JIGSAW to real users. JIGSAW possesses the right attributes to make it transitionable - it is simple, elegant, useful and endorsed by analysts.