By trade I am a mega-thinker. This is not meant as boasting or conceit. It is actually a descriptive job title. I get paid to think, and with rare exception, the things I get paid to ponder are always big. It's not so much that my brain is bigger than anyone else's brain. (At least I don't think it is – I haven't actually taken it out and measured it.) I just happen to have one of those brains that is very good at some things – like strategic analysis. This is different from tactical analysis. I'm pretty good at tactical analysis – I'm still alive. But I prefer (and thankfully I am much better at) strategic analysis. The important thing about strategic analysis isn't that it's about the "big picture" – because it has both a broad perspective, as well as extreme attention to detail and an almost absurd amount of multiplicity. In many ways, modern strategic analysis is similar to systems engineering in that it takes a complete approach to problem solving. More importantly however, strategic analysis includes a sometimes contradictory political (or at minimum pragmatic) perspective that is particularly useful in identifying best "course of action" and "success probability ratios" in complex multi-level scenarios. This type of analysis is invaluable for predictive as well as tactical plans, whether for government or industry. I'm lucky. I get to work with both entities.

To quote the cult-classic 80's movie Real Genius, "when you're smart, people need you." Very true.

One of the unique opportunities I have comes from the nature of how I do my job. As a believer in both the incredible ingenuity of humans and the cyclical nature of the universe, I recognize the importance of history in everything technological. Where something came from will tell you more about what something is, than mere examination alone. Numerous times in our history, a random crossing of paths or a coincidental set of circumstances led to major leaps and bounds in our technological mastery of the world. By understanding these past "alignment of the stars" I can better see when such things are happening again. This is the most difficult part of what I do. In many ways, I am asked to predict the future – and with a rather high degree of success I do. However, there is a serious caveat to my abilities. Unlike Nostradamus, I don't use magic. My ability to predict certain scenario outcomes is based on my ability to absorb, manipulate and recall massive amounts of information in my head. Although I use huge computational equipment for my work, the ability to connect distant dots of information that are relevant to enormously complex inter-relational concepts occurs in my head as moments of inspiration. These inspirations allow me to see trends and momentum that, when combined with historical perspective, existing conditions and massive amounts of raw data, lead to a peak of probability outcomes. It is these peaks that are the future. One of the most satisfying aspects of my work is when I see things that I predicted come true.
What is strategic analysis?