The Intelligence Brief Format

Intelligence that stays in the analyst's head is trivia. Intelligence that reaches a decision-maker in a format they can act on is power. The intelligence brief is the delivery vehicle — a one-page document structured so that a busy executive can read it in under three minutes and know exactly what is happening, how confident you are, and what they should do about it. The format is not optional. Decision-makers do not read long-form research reports. They read briefs — or they read nothing.

The brief follows a BLUF structure: Bottom Line Up Front. The first sentence states the conclusion. Not the background, not the methodology, not the caveats — the conclusion. "Competitor X is preparing to enter the healthcare vertical within the next two quarters, based on hiring patterns and patent filings." Everything that follows supports that opening statement. This is the opposite of how academics write and the opposite of how most analysts are trained to communicate. But it is how decision-makers consume information, and your brief exists to serve the reader, not the writer.

1. Bottom Line (1-2 sentences) The conclusion, stated plainly. What is happening, who is doing it, and why it matters to us. This is the single most important section. If you can only write one sentence, write this one.
2. Key Findings (3-5 bullets) The evidence supporting your bottom line. Each finding should cite a specific source and a confidence level. "High confidence: 7 ML engineer postings on their careers page (Tier 1, verified Feb 15)." Specificity is credibility.
3. Assessment (1 paragraph) Your analytical interpretation. What do the findings mean when connected together? What is the timeline? What are the implications for our business? This is where the analyst earns their keep — the findings are data; the assessment is intelligence.
4. Recommended Actions (2-3 bullets) What should the reader do with this information? "Brief the sales team on the new competitive positioning." "Accelerate our own healthcare vertical timeline." "Monitor for product launch signals over the next 90 days." Actions make the brief operational instead of informational.