Pherson Associates, LLC

Pherson Associates, LLC was founded in 2003 by Chief Executive Officer Katherine Hibbs Pherson and President Randolph H. Pherson in response to requests for analytic, instructional, and management support from the Intelligence Community.

Our services include workshops, courses, and consulting over a full range of analytic activities, including building models, frameworks, and processes; collecting and arraying critical data; developing and applying analytic tools and techniques; honing writing and briefing skills; publishing books and pamphlets; and maximizing the analytic power of the individual, the group, and the organization. The principal officers, senior consultants, and almost all instructors hold Top Secret security clearances.

• Analytic Training: Pherson Associates offers open enrollment and customized courses and workshops on basic analytic tradecraft, counterterrorism, critical thinking, counterintelligence, denial and deception, homeland security, risk analysis, and analytic writing and briefing.

• Workshop Facilitation: We have extensive experience in facilitating workshops, strategy sessions, and conferences for government and non-government personnel. We can provide experienced facilitators for your events and design customized agendas and programs for specific needs at the client's site or at The Forum.

• Controlled Access Classrooms and Conference Space: Pherson Associates created The Forum, conveniently located in Reston, Virginia, to provide our clients with an access controlled venue to hold conferences, classes, workshops, and facilitation exercises. Space at The Forum can be leased independently or in conjunction with our training and consulting services.

• Consulting Services: We provide a variety of consulting services to the US Government, private sector and the Intelligence Community in particular, including management support, mentoring, product review, and risk analysis.

• Analytic Tools: Pherson Associates has developed a toolbox of computer-assisted analytic tools and techniques for IC and private sector analysts. One-day and half-day workshops are available to help analysts optimize the effectiveness of tools and techniques such as Analysis of Competing Hypotheses and several forms of scenario analysis.

• Publications: Pherson Associates publishes white papers, books, and manuals on matters of importance to the Intelligence Community, including Richard J. Heuer's seminal work, Psychology of Intelligence Analysis (reprinted by permission).