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We are all gatherers of information. Some become motivated to pursue the gathering of information beyond the ordinary pursuits and become investigators.

The most common perceptions of investigation and the life of an investigator are those presented by media and film. More and more types of investigation are being portrayed in various suspenseful, dramatic and action stories and serials. The technical authenticity and realistic characters present plausible circumstances that may even have an element of education. It certainly is different from the gum shoe tales typical of earlier less technically orientated portrayals. They are, however, stories. The essentially artistic basis of these portrayals present at only brief glimpses and elements of reality in support of a central theme. The reality of investigation is remarkably different. It must be kept in mind there is no camera, except the one that may be used to obtain and document information or the one that is focused on the investigator.

Entering the field of investigation is entering the world of business. Regardless of the type of agency, department, field or specialty, it is a job. As with any employment the avenues of entry are conditioned on a number of factors. Particular to the field of investigation, experience is frequently necessary. Transferable skills are important. Specific qualification may be required. Background is very important. References may be significant. These are very general, however, the nature of the work and the structure of the industry make it selective. Reliability, certainty, trust, security and all related terms apply to what is sought in the field of investigation.

Frequently opportunity presents itself in entry level positions as an agent of a licensee or as an agent of another department. In both circumstances the nature of the employment may be confined to specific tasks related to an investigation. The most common ones that come to mind are surveillance work, loss prevention and document procurement for licensees. Agents of departments may provide specialized work as relates to the organization they are employed by. This can be in a wide variety of fields. Some that come to mind are data processing, scientific analytical work, photographic processing and specialized document analysis. It may be that agents are employed also in field work. It has been my experience that this practice is found generally to present significant control and reliability considerations. It is more likely to be employed in a good story than in practice.

Service in the military, police work or government service may be required; are usually considered desirable and are advantageous for not only placement but for promotional consideration. They are not necessary, however, and there substitutions that can be applied. The focus is on a type of individual.

There are some very real practical considerations in choosing a career in investigations. Almost invariably, a person must be flexible in their life situations to meet the demands of the employment. It is the type of employment that can require mobility, non structured schedules, diverse and unusual environments and adaptation skills. A consideration that should be taken very seriously is that you have to be prepared to live with not only what you do but what you investigate. It becomes a part of your life. It doesn’t go away. There are nine-to- fiver’s in every profession. There are those who live the life. There may not be middle ground. It is best to consider this before entering the field than to find that this may be the case afterwards.

Regardless of where you find yourself, having decided to pursue this field, it is best to bring your own support than to rely on an apparent support group. Because of the myriad potential scenarios, even the most well intended efforts can be viewed and manipulated to present an entirely different circumstance than from what they were intended. For the investigator the time comes when his work is handed over to multiple scrutiny’s and purposes, over which he has little control, but nevertheless will reflect back on him as the source.

We all gather information. At times some are more closely drawn to investigation. Others employ techniques and methods or apply them to purposes that are confined and specific. There are all types of investigators. An examination of job availability using the world investigator suggests that it currently applies to research, insurance claims and the most familiar term: private investigators. Usually, I find these listed as simply Investigations or in combination with security firms. This, I believe is a consequence of licensing and the professional experience and training of the persons so engaged. Sometimes, constables and/or process servers are also investigators. The qualifications of these individuals can vary depending on the licensing authority. They must be licensed, however. Persons employed by companies, which require information concerning elements of their business may employ persons as investigators, under specific circumstances. This, again, is subject to the authority of the appropriate agency. Individuals employed by licensed investigators, may work

Under the license of the company they are employed by. This, again, is subject to the licensing authority. In general most person in the category of private Investigators are subject to licensure. A license is a license.

There are many federal and state agencies, bureaus, boards, departments and offices that are either engaged in investigation as an essential or primary function or have dedicated personnel for investigation. Some of these have empowerments to establish and maintain investigative staff as required. Some are staffed by dedicated personnel and personnel from other agencies, who may have specific authorizations or be so empowered as to provide resources. In general, there are two categories of these investigators, sworn officers and civilian personnel.

The most common investigators we encounter usually are police officers. When a police officer is asking questions and obtaining identification information in response to an incident, he is conducting a field interview relating to a field investigation. Less common investigators we encounter may be attorneys, who seek responses to civil matters or company employees seeking information to explain application information or references.  Investigation is the gathering of information. We all gather information. News reporters are investigators.

The most common perceptions of this activity is that the application of a formalized process strictly defines investigation. It is more than looking into something; getting the story; simple or unofficial inquiries or routine questions. The complexity of the world and the universe of information require us to and in some cases force us to be more structured, complete and detailed in our routine gathering of information. In the end we may have to be able to establish fact or a complete trail of events in response to a completely new set of evolved scenarios, not generally considered, when the term investigation was defined. We find ourselves, because of the life, living the life.

We learn to use all available resources efficiently and economically to gather the information we need. We become comfortable with our perceptions and methods. We remain within the scope of satisfying our requirements and the areas of exploration are familiar and in some cases routine. We find ourselves at some point confronting the need to venture into the unfamiliar or circumstances alter our familiar and routine world. The universe of information can change dramatically and suddenly. It can change us. It is just as certain that this will happen in our day to day real world. It is likely that because we interact in both the real world and the world of information that the effect of both compounds itself. Perhaps the easiest example to call upon is a financial circumstance.

We routinely engage in financial transactions involving credit. We do this on-line and in person or by telephone. Our account adjustments are automatic. Even the payment can be arranged to be electronic. We gather all the necessary information to arrange this circumstance by utilizing our ability and applying our resources. We engage additional abilities and resources to seek out the requirement.  We commit further ability and resources to transacting to fulfill the requirement.  In our example, something becomes different. At any point or possibly at every point, we find that the routine and anticipated effect does not occur. Our ability to obtain information or the authenticity of the information we supply does not satisfy the criteria necessary to meet the requirements. Our ability and resources are insufficient.

This may mean, ordinarily, that the ability to communicate and interactively supply reliable information has changed. We fear the worst. Our security has been compromised. We begin to react. A likely method we employ is to systematically check and verify the integrity of all the interactive sources and points.  We contact specific, dedicated sources of information. We expend additional ability and resources to determine the nature of the disruption and obtain information concerning our systems and resources. We determine that the point of disruption is in the reliability of the source of the requirement.  For some reason their interactive systems have caused disabling and unanticipated effect.

We are, however, secure and after adjustment and verification, we establish resumed capability. We also establish that this problem has existed with this source and are cautioned against further interaction with this source.

 We consulted with several sources of information to arrive at this point. Our routine methods were examined by ourselves to remedy this unanticipated set of circumstances. Specialized and dedicated sources of information provided the ability and resources we required. Their information and experience with the circumstance were able to restore the authenticity and reliability of our information and provide information concerning the reliability and authenticity of the selected source of fulfilling our requirement.

We have confronted a circumstance that focuses on our method and our perception. It suggests, strongly, that ability and resources applied to an examination of our methods and perceptions by consultation, prior to engaging our abilities and resources, would certainly be more efficient and economical. Based on the experience of the example, it would have been prudent.

Perception is a primary factor in our gathering of information. It is fundamental to the development of needs. It is of equal importance in the satisfaction of our requirements. In the gathering of information, perception is of critical importance. The universe of information is complex, layered and exists in multiple dimensions. While our ability to perceive is fundamental, how we perceive is as important, if not more important. Discerning what we perceive, by selection or perceptual adjustment, brings us to a refinement of perception that is tied to our abilities but more exclusively to our resources.

The application of perception to a gathering of information must be understood, also, in the context of the reactive element of perception. We interact with our world. Our focus and refinements of perception must include a selection of reactive or responsive elements to our perception to control and insure that lastly, we do not add layers and complexity to the information we gather. In the simplest of terms, not only must we find what we need to gather but we also see it for what it really is.

Our methods of gathering information are important to this end. They too, should be refined and economical. They should be uncomplicated and consistent in terms of their application to the process of gathering. This, of course, does not exclude sophisticated and complex techniques and technologies. It refers to their employment. We all develop methods of gathering information. We respond to the requirements of each gathering with adjustments according to the variables encountered. The resources we apply to our gathering may affect our method but we know what we are looking for and how to get it. It simply isn’t always the case. We seldom examine our methods. We, except in instances, where we are required to do so, do not lay out our method and consider it. We use resources that can otherwise be more efficiently applied to more efforts or efforts that expand our gathering potential and rely on them for improvement in performance and result.

 It is difficult to assess our own perceptions unless we routinely employ a method of doing so or are routinely subjected to a scrutiny. We come to rely on what we know and all the aspects of our understanding of ourselves and how we understand our world.  Consulting provides us with a better understanding of what we are and how we can achieve what we want. It adds dimension and enhancement. When the gatherer is not in a circumstance where ability and resources are routinely assessed, it can be most valuable. In terms of perception and method, it can be critical. In terms of the expenditure of resources, it can literally save the effort.

The hallmark of an investigator is his ability to remain focused on the perception and method employed in gathering the information sought. The adherence to this can seem to be obsessive and narrow. In reality it requires discipline. Knowledge, experience, education and training contribute to developing the discipline necessary to conduct investigation. We are all gatherers of information.

We become familiar with efficient procedure and processes and develop methods accordingly. Our associations assist in the enhancement of our abilities. We develop competency and proficiency accordingly. Our success or lack of it hangs on the employment of our resources in such manner that we gather our requirements and retain our ability to meet the continued demands to do so. No matter how extensive our resources are, they do not guarantee our success. 

In the complexity of the universe of information; its layers and dimensions, we encounter the influences of process and presentation. It is continually necessary to approach this with the ability to find reliable information in spite of any change or alteration that may be a result of these influences on it. We must remain focused on the need to match the information to the requirement and perceive when it does or does not meet the specific criteria. Without the necessary discipline to conduct our gathering in such manner, the effort is subject to flaw.

The element of chance is always present. Indeed, the success of the effort may come to rely on it. Our effort must, however, be brought as conclusively as possible to the point where chance is the remaining factor of determination.  If it is not then the influence on information will most certainly obscure the requirement or make it unrecognizable.  Discipline remains the deciding factor.

Discipline keeps the objective defined and subjects each element to the measure of it.

Consulting brings to our effort the enhancement of ability and resources, not only of each element, but provides us with disciplined perspective and perception. For the experienced gatherer this has the effect of improvement.  For the less experienced gatherer, it adds a dimension capable of resolving those issues, which can readily impede or prevent efforts in attaining the requirement.

Focus, planning, organization, any considerations of method, anticipated duration and resources are all elements that, tied with discipline become re-enforcing and concerted. The efforts take on a new dimension. 

We all keep records. The keeping of records is the hallmark of civilization. It is in the creation of history through records that we recreate ourselves. The investigator like any gatherer of information keeps the information for specific uses and reporting. We maintain records of our gathering along the same lines. The primary differences center about procedure and method. One significant difference in the investigators record keeping usually concerns perception or more specifically detail. The case book, file or record is usually established and maintained in accordance with specific procedural requirements. These may be specific to the type of investigation, the organization and purpose to which the information will be used. There are usually certain standards of record keeping imposed by regulation, policy and in some cases statute. What needs to be is kept to satisfy the need.

Most of us keep a variety of records, concerning our telephone, on our computers and generally on any technological application to our gathering of information. Diaries and logs are commonplace and appointment records or other business orientated records are routinely kept. Simply, whatever records facilitate our gathering of what we require is maintained. What the investigator does is bring the many sources of data together and organize them into format that presents a history of the activity associated with events, circumstances and information as it involves the subject(s) and their associations. Chronologies and calendars are other elements important to establishing a record. The level of detail usually exceeds what a gatherer of information may need or desire. The reason for the added detail is that the information is gathered with the intention of sharing the information. It may lend itself to statistical and practices analysis.

Whether or not we are required to maintain records at a specific level to support or record our information gathering, there are clearly differences in the level of this activity. The benefits of a more detailed and prescribed record keeping as applies to our methods can be explored when we discuss our efforts with associations as we seek to enhance our ability to gather what we need. Consulting on our efforts may make available the perceptions and methods employed by experienced gatherers in a broad spectrum of requirements.

 The type of record maintained in any effort can provide those with whom we consult with a clear picture of particular details and in general a more complete understanding of our efforts. Our resources can be more effectively employed otherwise in this case. Consulting can provide valuable direction in achieving our requirements with respect to the maintenance of records. Favorable results are attainable and more economically achieved, when the information is organized and formatted for presentation and dissemination at the beginning of the gathering process and maintained throughout.

We all consult. When we pick up the phone to call a person we reliably know to have experience or some basis for information in a particular field of interest, regarding an interest of ours. This may be to obtain some thing or service or means that will assist us or satisfy our requirements. In the gathering of information, this is equally true. We either know, where the information exists, who may have access to information or who possesses the information we seek and make contact to obtain it. Whatever our process or method, however we associate to accomplish our needs satisfaction, some reliable source is consulted to facilitate our search or enhance our capability.

We all gather information. We all develop procedure and methods for accomplishing this. We all rely on our associations to improve our ability and we all develop a level of competency and skill. Our specialization and focus are improved through education and experience and our resources are enhanced by technology. For the most proficient and competent gatherer this is apparent. For the less so, it may be that the level of needs satisfaction has not yet exceeded resources, however, there may be other factors. The most skilled investigators and gatherers of information understand a key element of probing the universe of information. That element is the complexity of the layers and dimensions, which comprise it. What therefore is basic and preliminary is a clear understanding of how and where resources can be applied; how perception can be enhanced and how methods can be effectively employed. This is on the personal level. A gatherer may be confident in his skills but understand that the resource requirements may need to be evaluated. Knowledge and ability may require more experience in the equation of capability to maximize the potential.

We all evaluate the information we obtain regardless of source and come to rely on particular sources as more suited to our requirements.  In some instances at the onset of attempting to obtain what we need, uncertainty may occur for any number of reasons. The nature of this universe of information is essentially uncertainty and can become adverse. What seems routine becomes anything but routine. We may simply want to expand our participation in a matter we are already familiar with and confront limitations imposed by the matter or become aware of some resource limitation of our own that needs an application of resources from other than our own.

Investigators are aware of the element of change and chance. A confidence in this alone applied to the necessary skills and resources may be a deciding factor in a successful fulfilling of a particular requirement. This may be obtained by the review of a knowledgeable and experienced associate. Here, more than may be appreciated, consultation can provide positive re-enforcement. Consulting on any particular element or reviewing the overall project may be the most effective application of resources available.

We are all investigators. Investigators gather information. We all gather information. We all use different methods from time to time, but essentially our methods have common elements of procedure. We learn these methods through education, training and experience. We are dependant on our perceptions and our methods for our ability to gather the information we need. Our perception may determine our method. Our knowledge enhances our method. As we improve our knowledge and increase our experience, our perceptions and methods change. Information changes us and we change information. The changes in our perceptions and methods most desirably change in an improvement of our efficiency and economy in applying our resources to the gathering of information. The information we gather will then more positively affect us. The improvement in our ability should also have less of a change on the information we gather. This makes the information more reliable.

In the universe of information, the layers and dimensions have already effected significant change on information. It can simply be format and presentation or changes in content, through processing of the source data. Each process and person effects change. The amount of change is controlled by the consistency of the methods employed in processing the data. The perceptions of each gatherer are of equal importance in establishing the content and reliability of the data gathered. We as gatherers must rely on data as it is presented to us through the means available to us and that our resources permit us to utilize. This in itself can limit our perception.

Basic and preliminary investigative techniques establish a consistent perception and method of gathering the information required. The investigator has several advantages in developing information and providing it. The investigator has a different set of resources and knowledge to apply. Experience may be the most important resource. The elimination of personal elements and emotional involvement may be accomplished by an investigator. The method of gathering the information, its presentation and storage may be more efficient and economical. The investigator is a dedicated gatherer. We as gatherers have to allocate or budget our resources among interests and necessities which may be competitive. This would result in some effect on our perception and may affect method.

 It would be advantageous to consult prior to initiating an investigation and equally so before engaging an investigator. A person with the knowledge and background necessary to produce a reliable, useable and economical requirement is a resource multiplier. Even when the ability of one gatherer is on parity with the other or exceeds those of the gatherer employed, the effects of consultation can be positive, amplifying and re-enforcing.

Most people think of investigation as a formal process conducted by persons engaged in inquiry and examination for the purpose of determining a specific set of facts or circumstances to be or to have occurred and the related details of this fact or occurrence. They also believe that this occurs in the time frame of from thirty minutes, if you watch TV or the movies to two weeks, if you read news in some available printed form. The truth is that investigation is a process; it has a method and structure; it seeks to establish fact and circumstance and it occurs in a time frame imposed by the universe of information. If the investigation is able to establish fact or circumstance efficiently and economically, then the investigation can be of short duration.  If the resources applied to the investigation are limited then the investigation will be accordingly limited. The determining factors of duration are obtaining the information required or reaching the point when resources can no longer be applied to the activity.

We seek to obtain the information we need by the most efficient means with the least expenditure of resources. Our investigations, both personal and in the structure of our associations, require the application of knowledge, experience and education to the extent necessary to gather from the universe of information, what we require. Our efforts are improved and the possibility of success enhanced by the level of efficiency and amount and type of resources applied. The more knowledge and experience we are able to bring to our effort improves our efficiency and gives focus to our method. Our resources are then applied more economically. We invariably are required to divert from the activity of gathering information to seek more knowledge about the information we encounter.

We obtain this information from the sources we consider most reliable. We consult sources, usually available in our associations and known to us in the forms we are acquainted with through experience or education. As we become more experienced ourselves we understand that the efficiencies of resource application are best achieved as soon as we apply resources to our efforts. Our ability to achieve our requirements is improved by the earliest consultations of these resource multipliers. In any investigation, any gathering of information, limiting circumstances can occur at any point. It is more desirable to conclude the investigation by obtaining the information sought than to have expended resources only to have the investigation concluded because the limitations and  inefficient and uneconomical methods prevented it.

 Most of us employ methods that are common to research and other forms of investigation. These methods are learned in our education and training. We enhance our knowledge through experience and additional education. We may become specialized or continue with generally applicable methods. Investigations we conduct, such as gathering information about financial or economic matters, have a specific requirement to be met. The necessary information is obtained. Other matters may be less specific or may quickly present the necessity to improve our ability to apply resources to our efforts. This can be as simple as tracing lineage to determining the reliability of source or other level of information.  Since we all conduct investigations: we all gather information, we become increasingly comfortable with our ability to obtain what we require and the methods we employ, including utilizing the enhancements of experience and knowledge. It is the application of the specific or specialized knowledge and experience to the basic and preliminary aspect of our investigation that improves our perception and our method. Our resources are more efficiently and economically applied and the limitations to our ability are understood more clearly and effectively decided upon.         

We need information. We are perceivers in a universe of data. This universe exists as layers and dimensions. The universe streams into our daily lives and feeds the pursuit of our requirements and desires. We process this information to the extent that our resources and abilities permit us. We focus these in the most efficient and economical ways to accomplish our requirements. We learn from our experiences to improve our focus. We store the information obtained and process it and re-employ it in forms that assist us in our pursuit. We use tools and devices to enhance our abilities and conserve our resources. We associate to improve the possibilities of encountering the information we need and we employ others to assist in our pursuits. All of this because we are perceivers and use the information gathered.

The method by which we obtain information is usually based on how it is made available and our ability to exploit its availability as such. This universe of information is complex, expansive and intricate. Often we are confronted with limitations, which impede our pursuits. These limitations may be imposed by a variety of circumstances. We are required to extend ourselves more to continue on with our pursuits and this represents an expenditure of resources. In addition to the limitations on our ability to gather information, we are confronted with the fact that the information obtained needs to be scrutinized for its usefulness and reliability. The nature of our perception and the way the universe of data becomes available to us, means that more of the information is processed or otherwise removed from its source to the effect of changing it. Each level of removal and processing of data requires further expenditure of resources and the application of abilities to insure that the information is useful and reliable. We learn and store. Our knowledge increases. Our methods become refined. We become adept in our pursuits in our universe of information. The efficiency and economy of the application of our resources improves and we come to rely on our ability acquire our information, our methods and the nature of the information we gather. Our associations and employments become familiar and trusted based on our experience. We learn to employ our knowledge and the knowledge of others to improve our ability to satisfy our requirements.

 The refinement of these capabilities in ourselves, our associations and employment of others brings about the use of specific focus and experience. This specialization allows us to develop a broader scope to our focus on our requirements, the application of our resources and insuring the reliability of the information we gather. By expanding our capability through the reliance on these associations, our methods are improved. We satisfy our requirements in a more reliable, efficient and economical manner. We learn to employ secondary methods of employing our resources for the expressed purpose selection in our associations and employments. We develop our knowledge through experience, direct, educational or in knowledge related through association.

All of our perceptions, methods and exploitation of resources are products of our interacting with this universe of information. It shapes us and we, in turn, shape it. The focal point of gathering the information we need centers on our ability. Whatever our requirement is, we seek to maximize our possibilities at the onset of our efforts, expanding our ability through the ways discussed to improve our

chance of attaining our needs. It is in our interest to seek those associations which will at the earliest point increase our ability. Often this is done in the simple inquiries of what and how with more specialized inquiry to follow. This is basic and preliminary to our course of action. We ask it of ourselves all the time. When we need to go beyond our own experience, we seek out those who may have knowledge of either information requirement or a course of action.

Our consultations provide us with basic information. It is preliminary in making significant and necessary decisions. It becomes the spring board for the commitment of resources and brings understanding of the path our search will take.