The Department of Doctrine and Methodology of the Centre of Excellence is in charge of creating a single OSINT methodology, providing contributing countries and other entities and experts with a unified and standardized OSINT practice.
In the broadest terms, this methodology will serve OSINT experts as a predefined guidebook. A single methodology used consistently throughout the intelligence community is important for building and strengthening mutual trust; it prevents the OSINT experts from relying solely on their regular information sources as they are best known or easiest to associate with the collected information and encourages them to consider how and when to look for new sources and information and question their pertinence. This has proven necessary by the unbridled spread and availability of (mis)information and fake news and the fact that collecting such content is becoming more challenging.
It called for the creation of a structured, empirical model comprising features of the intelligence cycle (request, planning, collecting, contextualizing information, verification prior to analysis, analysis and timely distribution), aimed at producing insight facilitating decision making.
Set into a methodological framework, the OSINT doctrine helps formulate a clear, common procedural plan entailing more details, from methods of work to guidelines for structuring OSINT units and training experts in the area. The final goal is creating a single document containing strict procedures for this intelligence discipline, laying down the foundation of a common interoperability.
