The implementation of a MI system in an organization should be carried out in 4 stages:
Preparation: selecting a responsible for leading the MI unit, availability of the necessary technological tools and presentation to the collaborators and users.
Launch: pilot project to test and demonstrate how the system works to the users and collaborators, ad-hoc queries and informal feedback.
Consolidation: setting a MI product portfolio, application of a consistent MI analytical scheme, well informed and exigent users, and formal evaluation process.
Extension: integration of the strategic and tactic intelligence; MI culture integrated in the organization; MI based on dialogue.
The MI unit may have a specific department or be integrated in the marketing or strategy department. It may count with external consultants but most inputs should come from the local marketing units in the outbound markets.
The MI cycle has 5 phases, for which there is a set of necessary competences:
Obtaining MI queries:
- Identification of decision makers and their needs of information
- Interview, communication and presentation skills
- Understanding of people and the decision maker’s orientation
- Knowledge of the organizational structure and corporate culture
- Needs detection and processing through the system
Capturing information:
- Knowing primary and secondary sources
- Knowing methods to access the sources
- Manage the sources
- Knowing how to guarantee the reliability of the sources
- Identifying biases in the information
- Capacity for assessing assumptions
- Knowing the ethics principles in the information capturing
Analyzing and summarizing information:
- Recognition of the interaction between the information capture and its analysis
- Use of inductive and deductive reasoning
- Knowledge of the basic analytical models
- Knowledge of the reason why and the adequate moment to use each analytical model
- Recognition of information gaps
Communicating the intelligence:
- Presentation skills.
- Empathy and advising skills.
- Organization and presentation of the findings according to the receiver characteristics.
- Graduation of the intelligence delivery.
Intelligence management, feedback and results evaluation:
- Definition of the intelligence function.
- Explanation of the role of the MI and the intelligence cycle.
- Knowledge of the MI unit models, its structure, organization and resources.
- Knowledge of MI evaluation techniques.
- Capacity of creating a MI culture within the organization.
Would you consider any other step in the implementation process or another necessary competence?
