CARTOGRAPHY DIVISION RESPONSE TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S REPORT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79-01154A000100040010-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 1, 1999
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: April 30, 1970
• Content Type: MEMO

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WOO
GSA FPMR (41 CPR) 101-11.6
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
Memorandum
TO : Director of Basic and Geographic Intelligence DATE: 30 April 1970
FROM : Chief, Cartography Division, OBGI
SUBJECT: Cartography Division Response to the Inspector General's Report
A, General Comments:
On the whole the Inspector General has presented a true, and in most
instances, a factual report on the Cartography Division. However, because
of his lack of knowledge of cartographic and graphic technology and pro-
cedures, the judgments and criticisms expressed have been largely based on
personal interviews with Division personnel and the relatively superficial
observations he made of work in progress. As a result certain recommenda-
tions (such as Recommendation No. 13) are totally unrealistic and imprac-
tical of application. Also, he failed to weigh carefully the personal bias
of individuals, who for one reason or another, took the opportunity of talk-
ing with him to unload their gripes and prejudices.
It should be noted that many of the comments and criticisms are made
against an organization no longer in existence and that the reorganization
of the Division as of 1 April 1970 came about because of management's recog-
nition of the same deficiencies.
There is somewhat of a feeling that the Inspector General did not have
in his possession for review all the Division's memoranda and publications
which had been formulated to provide written guidance as to Division policy
regarding the duties and responsibilities of individual assignments. The
Division has prided itself on the quality of the training and indoctrination
of new personnel and its program of upgrading the capabilities of its people
on a continuing basis. The area of the report taking the Division to task
for not having clearly defined responsibilities for each employee is some-
what exaggerated and involves generally the difficulty the Cartographic Draft-
ing Section has had in resolving technical construction problems with four
compilation branches.
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B. Comments and Responses to Recommendations:
Page 31, item 3: The statements here are ambiguous. First we develop
a corps of experts who take pride in their work and make the Division their
career. So we have a problem because some stay on until they retire and
others, therefore, cannot progress beyond the GS-13 level. If the DDI Career
Board's recommendations for earlier promotions are followed, this problem
will be aggravated! What is the alternative to no turnover of highly quali-
fied career personnel who are so specialized that rotation to other areas of
the Agency is impossible?
Page 31, item 5: The statement that the four compilation branches work
with "non-current...mostly maps for the NIS" is not accurate. If the NIS
were not in existence, base maps would have to be constructed as at present.
A careful review of the production records will refute that statement.
Recommendation No. 122 Page 34
"That the Director, Basic and Geographic Intelligence, direct that
the Chief, Cartography Division, adopt the practice of periodically
rotating experienced compilers to new geographic areas in order to
broaden their area expertise and give the Division increased flexibility
in handling shifts in workload requirements."
Over the years the Cartography Division has had a policy of rotating
personnel among the regional compilation branches. Senior compilers were
rotated into assigned deputy chief positions where they were production area
specialists and had an opportunity to gain managerial experience when serv-
ing as chief during the absences of their superior. We have moved compilers
and cartographers into CD/X for both rotational and permanent assignments,
and we have encouraged the assignment of personnel
who when they returned, were invariably reassigned to a different
The reorganization of the former compilation branches into "Desks" will
provide a more flexible opportunity for management to rotate area assignments.
The Division has recognized that some personnel have desired greater challenges
but at no time have individuals requested reassignment and been denied. In
fact in two cases recently management has offered to transfer individuals from
CD/X to compilation branches and has been turned down! The "Desk" concept
will permit the assignment of projects on a branch basis, particularly when
an overload in one area occurs.
Page 33, item 8: It is worth noting that of the claimed 20% of total
Division staff who were supervisors (14 individuals), four were compilation
deputy branch chiefs, now eliminated, whose responsibilities were approximate-
ly 10% supervisory and 90% production. These people were assigned as deputy
chiefs in order to provide for supervision of the component during the absence
of the chief. The Deputy Branch Chief of the All-Source Branch also serves
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as the supervisor of the Publications Section, thus eliminating a section
chief. In addition the branch chiefs of the two smaller branches frequently--
not infrequently--did production work.
Recommendation No. 13, Page 36
"That the Director, Basic and Geographic Intelligence, direct that:
a. A Graphics Support Branch be established in the Cartography
Division and that those personnel in the former All-Source Branch,
the Technical Support Branch, and the Graphic Support Branch of the
Publications Division engaged in the production of non-map graphics
be transferred to this Branch;
b. Those personnel in the former All-Source Branch and the
Technical Support Branch engaged in the production of maps be trans-
ferred to the Cartographic Research Branch."
In commenting on Item a. it is necessary to point out that the production
of visual materials, whether maps, charts, diagrams, pictograms, etc., is a
highly complex technical operation. Over the past 20 years or more the Car-
tography Division has struggled with the problem of defining graphics and
working out the most efficient way of producing them for intelligence publi-
cations and uses. To try to compartmentalize graphic and map production as
proposed in Items a. and b, in our judgment would not be efficient. Mixing
production of maps for current publications with basic and thematic research
would create an impossible managerial situation, The nature of the two oper-
ations are too dissimilar; the assignment and scheduling of jobs would be
impossible.
In the Phase II portion of our reorganization plan, certain consolidation
and adjustment of responsibilities is contemplated; however, not to the extent
recommended in Item a. As proposed the All-Source Branch, renamed the Current
Intelligence Branch, will have a Publications Section and a Presentation Sec-
tion whose energies will be concentrated exclusively on the "newspaper" oper-
ation of processing rush current intelligence graphics of all kinds required
for selected types of current publications which have high-level mandatory,
short deadlines. The Presentation Section will continue to produce briefing
materials for top level briefing requirements, as well as those projects re-
quiring the skills of the artist rather than the cartographer.
We would also oppose Item b,, on the following grounds: The Cartographic
Research Branch is composed of academically trained geographic/cartographic
specialists who are doing basic cartographic research for the production of
base and thematic maps. Their output is a manuscript map and specifications
which are then processed by highly skilled draftsmen for multiple color re-
production. The personnel working on maps in the All-Source Branch and the
Technical Support Branch, in most instances, do not qualify academically for
research assignments. They lack the geographic knowledge gained from academic
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training. This is not to imply that they cannot qualify through course
work in local schools. Some are qualifying and in time will be assigned
research in depth responsibilities.
Recommendation No. 14, Page 39:
"That the Director, Basic and Geographic Intelligence, with a view
toward substantially reducing overtime, direct the Chief, Cartography
Division, to:
a. Develop a more effective system for identifying job priori-
ties and matching workloads to Division capabilities.
b. Consider adjusting the internal distribution of workload
by transferring one or two positions from the regional branches to
the drafting section.
c, Grant compensatory time in lieu of payment for overtime to
the maximum extent feasible,"
Item a.: The problem of developing effective job priorities and sched-
uling for the matching of workloads has received more attention than any
other major problem, The Division takes on approximately 600 new jobs a
month and has from 900 to 1,200 items as a backlog at all times, In addition
to a rigid scheduling of NIS Summary and Final maps, the Division must plan
work production with a constant awareness of the changeability of intelli-
gence requirements. We are constantly at the mercy of requesters whose sched-
ules of production frequently change. It becomes extremely difficult to de-
velop a nice, convenient, noninterruptable production schedule.
In this report we are faulted for not turning away graphic work, and in
some degree the criticism is justified. However, the Cartography Division
mission is to support the map and graphic requirements of the Agency, and
experience has proved it is very difficult for us to refuse to produce graph-
?i cs when requesteA _ We can only nut obstacl es i n A. reaueaterax wAv- 'sl c .3S ---4-1
requiring an official request be sent to us through.-ei - '"`"The Itiivi-- "`'417
sion has an enviable reputation for the support it has provided Agency compo-
nents, due in part from our inability, as well as the inappropriateness, of
our saying "No."
There are other factors involved in this very complex problem of workload.
Many requesters are totally ignorant of the length of time required to produce
a map or graphic. It is not uncommon for analysts to complete their research
and writing before requesting graphic support at which time the project is
listed as "awaiting graphics," This places a burden on the scheduling routine.
Except for the NIS Summary Map, few maps and charts fall into the "series"
category. The variety of jobs is virtually limitless, and each has its own
peculiarities. All have varying deadlines, and they come from all components
of the Agency and the Department of State. It is not uncommon for the last
job received to have the closest deadline, regardless of the magnitude of the
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project. Scheduling and rescheduling, therefore, becomes a daily and some-
times hourly process, and when deadlines pile up the only solution has been
the use of overtime. As a service organization it is difficult to assess the
relative priority of projects originating in a variety of other components.
Previous attempts to coordinate priorities amongst requesters have been un-
rewarding simply because one component is not particularly concerned or sym-
pathetic to the map and graphic requirements of another, much less the Depart-
ment of State.
In summary of Item a. the Cartography Division will continue its efforts
to devise a better system for accepting work and for scheduling the workload.
It will endeavor to realistically evaluate the need for graphics with each
requester, and it will be more realistic in determining the Division capabil-
ity to perform a particular task.
Item b.: For some time the Division has recognized that an imbalance
between production capability in drafting and compilation has existed. This
imbalance has developed through the inability of the Division to procure
draftsmen to replace those who have left and those assigned to the Automation
Section. This has necessitated an excess of overtime, which, as the I.G. has
expressed it, has become a way of life and an unhealthy situation. This
situation should show marked improvement in the near future, since two new
draftsmen are in training and a third is in process. In addition a freeze on
hiring new 1.0. Cartographers, which was initiated in 1968, will continue.
The transfer of slots from compilation to the drafting operation is not
a practical solution at this time since two compilation slots were used to
reduce the T.O. for FY 1970 and 1971, and it is planned to assign one or more
compile= to the Automation effort in the near future.
Item c.: By law compensatory leave or payment for overtime is at the
option of the employee. Management has not interferred with this prerogative.
Although the overtime has been judged to be heavy by the I.G., it has been
done only after permission has been secured on a daily basis from the Divi-
sion Chief, and it has been authorized to support primarily the NIS program
because of managements inability to provide draftsmen. Also, at no time has
any employee, unless in support of CD/X requirements, been compelled to work
overtime; in drafting it has strictly been on a voluntary basis. Although
free to do so, only on rare occasions have individuals requested compensatory
e0pnil
Recommendation No. 15, Page 40:
"That the Director, Basic and Geographic Intelligence, direct the
Chief, Cartography Division, to examine the map filing practices of the
Division with a view to reducing the number of points where the same map
is filed."
Unfortunately, the I.G. has been misinformed as to the number of places
identical maps are filed and the reasons for filing same.
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The filing of printed maps and the materials to construct them is a
critical necessity to the Division's ability to service map intelligence
requirements. The system in use requires that a historical production rec-
ord and retention of all production items be kept because of potential re-
use for future requirements. The original separation plates, the negatives
used to print the map, and the jacket materials accumulated in its production
are filed for future use. In addition each branch keeps a file of its own
production (as well as copies of the original initiation form) for ready
reference. Each compilation branch, with the exception of CD/X, does not
keep copies of all production. A copy of all printed material produced by
the Division (with the exception of CD/X which maintains its own master file)
is filed in the Office of the Chief for ready response to telephone and other
inquiries, and an additional copy is forwarded to Records Center for archival
storage. The Technical Support Branch does not maintain any files of maps,
not even its own production. Instead, it accumulates looseleaf binders of
uniquely designed or constructed graphics for future design ideas.
It should be noted that the I.G. is in error when he says the beachhead
of the Map Library files all copies of our production. They merely keep the
latest items of maps produced and do not file any of the non-map graphics.
However, in response to this recommendation, the Division will initiate
4 a careful review of the situation and eliminate any unnecessary duplicative
filing.
Recommendation No, 16, Page 42:
"That the Director, Basic and Geographic Intelligence, direct the
Chief, Cartography Division, to develop and issue comprehensive instruc-
tions prescribing the map production process in the Division, and defin-
ing the duties and responsibilities of all concerned in this process."
This recommendation reflects a situation that has existed for many years.
Management has relied upon the Staff members to implement Division directives,
but unfortunately there has been too many members who have carried back to their
people particulars colored by their own beliefs. The reorganization of the
Division should improve this situation; there will be fewer Staff members (the
Branch Chiefs, Deputy and Division Chiefs) and a more formal procedure for
periodic issuances of significant policy changes. The Staff meeting minutes,
which will incorporate agreed-to-changes or new procedures, will be circulated
to all components. At present the Deputy Division Chief and the Chiefs of the
Cartographic Research and Technical Support Branches are formulating new pro-
cedures for issuance, which will correct the deficiencies listed by the I.G.
in Item 20.
Recommendation No. 17, Page 42:
"That the Director, Basic and Geographic Intelligence, direct the
Chief, Cartography Division, to develop and publish a series of issuances
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setting forth the Division's policies and regulations for the informa-
tion and guidance of all concerned."
First, I would like to take exception to the I.G.'s statement that
"major policies are approved by the "Staff," instead of by the Division
Chief." This statement is not factually correct. It is true that the Staff
has been involved in the decision making process, possibly more deeply than
appropriate in the eyes of the I.G., but this has been primarily because the
organization of the Division forced their involvement for the most efficient
control of production. However, final decisions are made by the Division
Chief, or his Deputy, and not by the Staff.
In response to Recommendation No. 17, however, the Division shortly will
begin issuing a series of memoranda formalizing Division policies and regu-
lations for the guidance of all personnel.
Recommendation No. 18, Page 47:
"That the Director, Basic and Geographic Intelligence:
a. Instruct the Chief, Cartography Division, to make a special
effort, by reassignment of personnel, to complete the development
of a second data bank at the earliest practicable date.
b. Initiate a review of the Automapping Program with a view to
ensuring that adequate plans are being made for the most effective
expansion of its capabilities, and that the right number and kinds
of personnel will be available to exploit and manage this capability
satisfactorily."
Items a. and b.: The development of the Automap Program has been pro-
duction oriented as pointed out in the I.G.'s report. It must be remembered,
however, that when this program started in 1963 there was considerable skep-
ticism exhibited by top management over the value to computer processing,
and the idea that maps could be made by machine had many skeptics. The Divi-
sion established the approach of orienting experimental work along the lines
of production requirements and selected personnel from existing components to
develop the new techniques, programs, and procedures. At that time this was
the only practical way to proceed. Over the past years of development, ex-
perimentation has not been neglected in favor of production; in fact, the ca-
pability of equipment has been the limiting concern, particularly the develop-
ment of the World Data Bank II. Additional personnel cannot be assigned to
its development until new equipment, which is on order, is in hand. When it
becomes available in the fall, it is planned to assign personnel from the
Cartographic Research Branch to assist in the completion of the data bank.
The Division certainly recognizes the importance of providing the data base
for compilation involvement in the Automap System, in fact, has been working
toward this objective from the very beginning, and future long-range plans
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for assignment or procurement of people best qualified to develop the system
to its fullest extent has been discussed frequently and in detail. The Divi-
sion does not agree with the judgment of the I.G. that by implication we
have not selected personnel with leadership qualifications for assignment to
the development of automated cartography. Automated mapping is a technique
which will require personnel skilled in programming and in cartography and
at this stage of development, where we are in the forefront in the art, we do
have the skill and competence to remain there.
The development of ADP in map production has been a challenging experience.
The Division has had excellent cooperative assistance from OCS, on whom we rely
for computer and programing assistance, and on ORD for assistance in evalua-
ting and selecting equipment. This cooperative effort will continue. The
Special Assistant for Research and Development attached to the Office of the
Chief has as his basic responsibility the maintenance of a continuing dialogue
with counterparts working on automated cartography in industry, the academic
community, and other Government agencies. In this way the Division has kept
abreast of and utilized specific advances in technique and equipment appro-
priate to our program. Through these contacts guidance for training of person-
nel, visits to operating units and attendance at technical symposiums and ex-
hibits has been developed.
The Division believes that implimentation of Recommendation No. 18 should
proceed cautiously since there are many unanswered questions on the future
developments of automated cartography and to overreact in the reassignment of
manpower or over expansion of facilities would not be to the best interest of
the program.
C. Office Management Considerations:
Recommendation No. 25, Page 70:
"That the Director, Basic and Geographic Intelligence, make greater
use of official issuances to employees on personnel and other matters of
professional interest and concern, and that he update and re-issue, as
appropriate, existing notices."
The Cartography Division recognizes the desirability of good communica-
tions, particularly as a Division distant from its main office and whose prin-
cipal contact has been by telephone. Under such circumstances it is essential
that management in the Division and the Director's Office recognize the im-
portance of making special efforts to interchange information through appro-
priate operating channels. From the Division point of view it would be helpful
to management if closer attention was given to the following:
a. That the personnel of the Office of the Director not bypass the
Office of the Chief when giving instructions or requesting information of
lower echelon supervisors,
b. That top officials of the Office tour the Division at regular
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intervals. Some members of the Division, particularly newer employees,
have expressed disappointment at not meeting the Director more frequently,
(It is worth noting in this context that the last visit to the Cartography
Division of the DDI was in 1965!)
c. That periodic attendance at Division Staff meetings by the
Director or Deputy Director be continued and made more frequent. These
meetings could be used for summary announcements of Office plans for pro-
duction of intelligence reports, discussions and suggestions for initiation
of map projects to fill known map gaps, and guidance in coordinating Division
activities with those of the other Divisions in the Office,
d. That an effort be made to develop better communication between
the components of the Cartography Division. Heretofore, the Staff approach
was the basic method used to communicate downward. This should continue
under the new organization, but additional devices should be developed to
inform personnel of the Division's aims and objectives.
Recommendation No. 26, Page 70:
"That the Director, Basic and Geographic Intelligence, direct his
five Division Chiefs to familiarize themselves with existing regulations
pertaining to Honor and Merit Awards and the Quality Step Increase and
to be alert to opportunities for singling out deserving employees for
recognition under these programs."
The Cartography Division has utilized the Quality Step Increase as a
means of awarding special recognition to deserving employees. Since 1967
the Division has honored four individuals for outstanding services, and, at
present, has two potential nominees to propose to the Career Board.
Recommendation No. 27, Page 72:
"That the Director, Basic and Geographic Intelligence, examine the
statistical reporting programs of the Divisions, publish guidelines for
the categories of information required by his Office, and reduce these
activities to the minimum required to satisfy those requirements."
The statistical program in the Cartography Division is designed to pro-
vide internal administrative control of the production and distribution of
maps and graphics. The efficient handling of approximately 6,500 items a
year, each of which has original art work, negatives, and printed copies,
requires that a careful recording be made for reference and recall purposes.
The summation of production in the form of monthly statistical reports is
necessary to advise the Director of the production workload,
The area of statistical keeping questioned by the I.G. is the man-hours
accredited to each Agency component. It would be a measurable saving of man-
hours if this practice was discontinued, The Division itself has no signif-
icant need for summarizing this information, except as requested when prepar-
ing yearly reports, planning papers, and answering frequent inquiries for
statistical information (such as a recent one, "How many man-hours did we
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spend supporting the SALT talks?) from OPPB.
25X1A9a D. Comments from
Item 1.:
"Cartography Division people work in a large open area that is
typical of graphics production areas. Partitions should be available
to afford some privacy and to cut down on the idle chatter which usually
occurs under such conditions."
The nature of the cartographic and graphic effort requires numerous
pieces of equipment of relatively large size--map cases, light tables, filing
cabinets, etc., many of which are used in common by all the individuals in
the unit. The difficulty of arranging this equipment and its subsequent use
in such a way as to provide partitions for employee privacy has been a major
obstacle to partitioning areas. At one time the Division had partitioned its
components in smaller units, but the results were not satisfactory in control-
ling idle chatter nor in production of an acceptable quantity of work. Car-
tographic production cannot legitimately be compared to office-type work.
Both the drafting and the compilation activities should be under constant
supervision for the immediate resolution of questions arising during graphic
production; compartmentalization isolates the supervisor.
Item 2.:
"Two draftsmen share a single drafting table in the Cartography
Division drafting section. Every one agreed that this situation is
unsatisfactory and that it could be remedied by the expenditure of a
relatively small sum of money to buy four drafting tables."
The inconvenience of two draftsmen using one light table has been an ad-
justment made on the basis of space and equipment. However, the suggestion
has so much merit that the Division will look into replacing the existing
light tables with smaller ones and expanding the area of the Section to ac-
commodate one table for each draftsman. We do not have sufficient space to
simply add four more tables of the existing size.
Item 3.:
"We encountered complaints in the Cartography Division about the
clerical support provided by the front office. If the division continues
to perform some clerical duties centrally, such as time and attendance
record-keeping, steps should be taken to ensure that the clerical per-
sonnel involved do not inadvertently antagonize senior officials and
other division employees.
The I.G. has been duped by certain senior individuals in the Division
who attempted to manipulate reporting of attendance and who were offended by
the refusal of the Front Office clerk who would not accept falsification of
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the attendance. The time and attendance clerk had been instructed by me
to follow Government regulations in maintaining her records, which she did,
with the result she was accused of noncooperation and of having an abrasive
personality. It is too bad that - did not bring this complaint to
the attention of the Division Chief during the investigation.
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