ATP 2-33.4, page 67

Core Army Analytic Techniques 18 August 2014 ATP 2-33.4 5-13 Note. Link diagrams are comprised of symbols. Circles denote individuals or organizations; squares denote activities; triangles or rectangles may denote buildings and facilities. Solid lines between symbols denote association. Dashed lines between symbols denote possible association. The analyst may use colored and varying types of lines to show different activities (for example, green solid lines for money transfer, blue dotted lines for communications, solid black lines for activity).  Step 4. Review the diagram for gaps, significant relationships, and meaning of the relationships based on the activity occurring. Ask critical questions of the data, such as—  Which entity is central or key to the network?  Who or what is the initiator of interactions?  What role is each entity playing in the network?  Who or what forms a bridge or liaison between groups or subgroups?  How have the interactions changed over time?  Which nodes should be targeted for collection or defeated?  Step 5. Summarize what is seen in the diagram and draw interim hypotheses regarding the relationships. 5-46. The following can assist when using link diagrams:  Watch for clutter. Charts may become cluttered by too much data; peripheral data may be set aside.  Use simple charts. Large complex charts can be broken into smaller charts.  Eliminate crossing lines to increase clarity.  Use computerized software. The charting portion of link analysis may be greatly aided by the use of computerized software such as Analyst Notebook because it allows one to instantly redraw the chart as new information becomes available. 5-47. Figure 5-5 is an example of a manually constructed link diagram using some of the information from the association matrix (see figure 5-3 on page 5-10) and the activities matrix (see figure 5-4). Figure 5-5. Example link diagram