Lesson 2

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GEOINT Data, Data Sources, & Collection Strategies

Introduction

GEOINT data has been said to be "any data used to create GEOINT." Geospatial information, imagery, and imagery intelligence are the primary sources from which GEOINT data are extracted. However, there is a more foundational perspective. These data are records of human and physical qualities at a location that uniquely created a place. Signs of human activity and measures of the land become GEOINT Data. Traditionally data are thought of as fixed statements of "what is;" however, GEOINT Data are part of a conversation driven by the need to explain what is recorded in the data in the context of a place. GEOINT Data are extracted chunks of information from other intelligence and geographic products. Inherent in using this data, GEOINT Data require knowledge of the data and how the spatial features might be organized on the landscape. Using the data and understanding spatial organization allows us to frame patterns of human activities to make predictions. GEOINT Data fitted into a frame also guides the search for additional information and ultimately provides a plausible story or map to account for what the data shows.

Learning Objectives

This lesson addresses the fundamental that the analyst works to complete the picture provided by geospatial intelligence data. Throughout this lesson, we will demonstrate the concepts of Geospatial Intelligence. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

  • Introduce the fundamental concepts of locating points on the Earth, scale, and the representation of geographic features in a digital form.
  • List examples of the major categories of GEOINT Data
  • Discuss the concept of Techne and its importance to GEOINT Data
  • Describe the role of GEOINT Data in sensemaking