1. Providing innovative analytic insight into
the world’s complex
environment
HUMAN GEOGRAPHY
DATA FUSION
TOM FLINT, COURAGE SERVICES, INC.
TOM.FLINT@COURAGESERVICES.COM
28 November 2012
UNCLASSIFIED

2. OVERVIEW
- Human Geography Data “Fusion”
- Caution: “Something from Nothing”
- HG Environment and Usage
- Data and Data Sources
- Theme Layers and Examples (NGA and Others)
- Soapbox on Placenames - Pakistan
- Human Geography Data Fusion and Visualization
- Techniques
- Examples
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Mexico
- Syria
- Applications
2

3. DATA FUSION
3

4. FUSION?
4

5. SELECT HG, HTA, OR SCA
METHODOLOGIES & TRADECRAFT
Select OSINT Sources
• Historical British Military Reports
• Historical General Staff of India Reports
• Courage Services Reference Products
• Tourism Publications
• Local Publications
• Census Data
• Ethnographic Surveys
• Rand Corporation Products
• JSTOR Academic Papers and Publications
• UNHCR Reports
• Open Source Center (OSC)
• Other NGO Area Studies
Courage Services, Inc Proprietary Information
UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO

6. HUMAN GEOGRAPHY DATA THEMES
1. Demographics
2. Religion
3. Language
4. Ethnicity
5. Transportation
6. Economy
7. Education
8. Land Use
9. Medical/Health
10. Political/Ideological
11. Communication/Media
12. Significant Events
13. Water
6

7. MULTI-SOURCE HG DATA
Human Geography
Themes
1. Demographics
2. Religion
3. Language
4. Ethnicity
5. Transportation
6. Economy
7. Education
8. Land Use
9. Medical/Health
10.Political/Ideological
11.Communication/Media
12.Significant Events
Built from Census &
SME Collected Data

8. MULTI-SOURCE HG DATA
Human Geography Themes
1. Demographics
2. Religion
3. Language
4. Ethnicity
5. Transportation
6. Economy
7. Education
8. Land Use
9. Medical/Health
10.Political/Ideological
11.Communication/Media
12.Significant Events
Gap Areas Filled from
Surveyor General Mapping

9. MULTI-SOURCE HG DATA
Human Geography Themes
1. Demographics
2. Religion
3. Language
4. Ethnicity
5. Transportation
6. Economy
7. Education
8. Land Use
9. Medical/Health
10.Political/Ideological
11.Communication/Media
12.Significant Events
13.Water/Water Features
Built from In-Country
UN, USAID & NGO Data

10. MULTI-SOURCE HG DATA

11. 11

12. 12

13. 13

14. 14

15. MULTI-SOURCE HG DATA
INTEGRATION
A single data layer typically includes
multiple sources of information in
varying formats from varying time
periods.
• Source Identification and
Assessment
• Schema Development
• Preliminary Source Valuation &
Vetting
• Automated Data Extraction
• Additional Source Vetting, Data
De-confliction
• Sourcing, Metadata, & Analytical
Comments – Transparency
• Production

16. DISPLAYING HG DATA & ANALYSIS
Sentiment & Urban Scale Analysis
Points versus Polygons
Animosities
National Level Data
Homogenous versus
Heterogeneous Data
Temporally Enabled Data & Analysis

17. DROC
Van der Kerken, 1944
Maes, 1926 Hulsteadt, 1950
Vansina, 1968 DRC, 2006

18. MEXICO
18

19. MEXICO
19

20. MEXICO
20

21. DISTRICT-LEVEL “COORDINATION”
DENSITY AMONG ARMED GROUPS
21

22. “WATER” IN SYRIA
22

23. “WATER” IN SYRIA
23

24. “WATER” IN SYRIA
24

25. HG FUSION APPLICATIONS
• Unique research, data & analytical techniques to fill
intelligence gaps
• Contribution to social and family network, power
and influence analysis
• Acquire, extract, and structure un-structured data
for various onsite applications
• Supporting analysis and assessment of local
dynamics, animosities, and relationships amongst
groups
• Combining unclassified information in a classified
environment to answer key intelligence questions
• Refining requirements
25

26. DISCUSSION
26