ISVG's core research capability brings together open source research, applies a unique database structure, and produces visualizations and analytic products for decision support. ISVG is proficient at aggregating open source information and integrating it into analytical products. This challenging task is achieved by utilizing intelligent student researchers, a unique relational database structure, and the ability to leverage partnerships with cutting-edge Big Data technology providers. These aspects enable ISVG to create analytic products that incorporate geospatial visualizations, link associations, temporal outlines, statistical dashboards, and social network analysis.

Collection Proficiencies: ISVG leverages ten years of open source research experience to ensure that data collection is accurate and reliable. As open source research continues to evolve, ISVG brings together traditional media, social media, and video content by utilizing world-class technology partners. Once the information has been consolidated, researchers fluent across multiple languages are able to exploit the aggregated media content to discover new insights. This enhanced open source picture gives researchers the ability to answer new questions that create a better understanding of violent extremism and transnational crime. Learn more of ISVG's collection proficiencies within the Collection Proficiencies page.

Database Structure: Over the past ten years ISVG has created a unique methodology for categorizing open source data related to violent extremism and transnational crime. The ISVG relational database is structured to capture 1,500 variables related to events, individuals, and groups that are associated with violent non-state actors. All of the data is geospatially and temporally tagged, allowing it to be rendered in the user's analytic platform of choice. After ten years of worldwide open source collection, the ISVG database contains over 223,000 incidents involving over 43,000 unique individuals that have connections to over 3,000 distinct groups. The structure of the ISVG database enables a wide range of information to be analyzed and visualized within a number of analytic platforms. Learn more about ISVG's Database structure capability within the Database Structure page.

Visualization & Analytics ISVG communicates complex research through advanced visualization and analytic products. Data is presented in an intuitive manner to meet the distinct needs of decision makers. ISVG's technological infrastructure includes industry leading analytic platforms enabling the delivery of research products with geospatial, link association, temporal, and statistical analyses. Learn more of ISVG's visualization and analytics capabilities within the Visualization & Analytics page.