Software tool speeds data searches for intell analysts

Analysts must deal with multiple sources of information when they’re on the job. But sifting through a constant stream of data is both time consuming and inefficient.

The Contour analysis tool, developed by Decisive Analytics Corp., is a Web-based portal that allows analysts to collect, search and analyze large amounts of unfiltered intelligence and open source data, Travis Putvain, the company's information-sharing manager, said May 3 at the Department of Defense Intelligence Information Systems (DODIIS) conference in Detroit. The tool, which ferrets out hidden relationships between data, was one of several the company showcased at the conference.

Some of the software’s capabilities include the automated collection, analysis and exploitation of intelligence and open source data, such as broadcast news, blogs and websites. It also allows analysts to integrate the system with online search tools, Putvain said.

The tool’s analytical capabilities can automatically identify activities of interest within and across individual reports. It can also identify when and where activities are increasing or declining over time and characterize relationships among people, places and organizations. Contour allows analysts to focus on their work while it automates the time consuming work of sifting through various data sets for key words and images, Putvain said.

A rich media analysis feature allows analysts to edit different media types to build an analytical package that can be shared across the enterprise. Analysts also can upload video, audio or text content into the system to share with other users for analysis and exploitation. Geospatial hot spots and trends can also be displayed, as well as location-based references to the content, with the tools visualization capability.