SUGGESTION NO. 2906

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP72-00450R000100260028-4
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 4, 1999
• Sequence Number: 28
• Publication Date: January 31, 1958
• Content Type: MEMO

Approved For Release 1999/09/16 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100260028-4
31 JANUARY 1958
MEMORANDUM TO: EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
SUGGESTION AWARDS COMMITTEE
SUBJECT : SUGGESTION NO. 2906
1. I AM NOT SUFFICIENTLY FAMILIAR WITH THE USES TO WHICH ALL THE PRESENT
FORMS ARE PUT, BUT I AM ABSOLUTELY PERSUADED THAT WE ARE WASTING UNTOLD MANHOURS
ON FORMS OF A KIND TO WHICH THE SUGGESTOR OBJECTS, AND THAT THE SUGGESTOR IS
ON THE RIGHT TRACK.
2. OF COURSE IT WILL NEVER DO ANY GOOD TO REFER SUCH SUGGESTIONS TO THE
OFFICES INVOLVED ONE AFTER THE OTHER. EACH OFFICE WILL FIND ITS OWN FORM ABSOLUTELY
ESSENTIAL AND PERFECT FOR ITS PURPOSES. AND IT MAY WELL-BE, IF YOU GRANT THAT
THOSE PURPOSES ARE THEMSELVES ESSENTIAL AND UNCHANGEABLE.
3. THE QUESTION THAT REALLY NEEDS ASKING IS NOT WHETHER A GIVEN FORM MEETS
THE INTENDED PURPOSE BETTER THAN ANY OTHER, BUT WHETHER THE PURPOSE ITSELF IS
ESSENTIAL.
4+. IN MY OWN WORK IN SIMPLIFYING PROCEDURES I FOUND THAT MANY OF THE COMPLEXITIES
AROSE FROM FAILURE TO QUESTION. ASSUMPTIONS. IF THE ASSUMPTIONS WERE IN FACT SOUND,
THE COMPLEXITIES WERE NECESSARY; BUT IT IS ASTONISHING HOW OFTEN THE WHOLE STRUCTURE
COLLAPSED AS SOON AS YOU AKSED THE QUESTION "WHY?
5. I AM CONVINCED THAT THIS IS TRUE OF A VERY LARGE PART OF ALL THE
BUREAUCRATIC PAPER WORK REQUIRED OF PEOPLE WHO ARE HIRED TO BE INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS.
6. THE WAY TO CHANGE THIS IS NOT TO SUBMIT SUGGESTIONS TO INTERESTED PARTIES
BUT TO GET AUTHORITY TO KNOCK SOME HEADS TOGETHER AND TO ENFORCE TRUE SIMPLIFICATION.
.7. I WISH THE MANAGEMENT STAFF LUCK, AND RECOMMEND THAT SUGGESTION NO. 2906
BE USED FOR A VIGOROUS ATTACK ON THE PROBLEM.
Approved For Release,.1999/09/16 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100260028-4