PROPOSED PROJECT TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF THE SCOPE AND UTILITY OF AEGIS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01439R000500030022-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 30, 2000
• Sequence Number: 22
• Publication Date: February 24, 1970
• Content Type: MF

Approved Fpr Release 2002/10/09 : CIA-RDP80B01,Q9R000500030022-2
24 February 1970
SUBJECT: Proposed Project to Increase Awareness of
the Scope and Utility of AEGIS
Following discussions with yourself and with the ASPIN group,
there appears to be general agreement that there is need for further
effort, on the part of CRS, to bring AEGIS to the attention of those
production analysts who at present are making no use of the system.
It is felt that this approach is a prerequisite to further work on CRS
support to personal files. In other words, CRS should create wider
awareness and use of AEGIS before considering in more detail possible
inter-relationships between the central system and the personal files
of individual analysts.
At the meeting with the ASPIN group, it was suggested that
AEGIS could best be publicized in the following ways:
1. By preparation and distribution of a brief and
simple user guide to AEGIS.
2. By making AEGIS products available, in an unsolicited
manner, to intelligence analysts who have not previously used
the system, and to obtain their evaluations of these products.
This would be conducted In a similar way to the way I con-
ducted the previous small evaluation of AEGIS usage.
. I intend to proceed to produce a draft user manual for review and
comment within CRS. The object of the second task is to bring AEGIS
to the attention of production analysts who at present make no use of the
system. I propose the following procedures:
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1. Each CRS area division will be involved in the project.
A responsible member or members of each division (say the
appropriate SODA) will examine the first issue (March 15) of
Research Projects in Process and will consider each research
project falling within the scope of the division. The SODA will
divide these research projects into the following categories:
(a) AEGIS known to have been used or the
production analyst is known to use AEGIS regularly.
(b) AEGIS not particularly appropriate for this
subject.
(c) CRS projects.
(d) Appropriate to AEGIS but AEGIS not used and
the production analyst is not recognized as being an
25X1A9a AEGIS user, can provide us with a
printout of AEURS users Tnfil September 1969.)
A survey conducted in FE/PAC, based upon the pilot issue of the
publication, revealed 120 research topics within the scope of FE/PAC.
Among these, the breakdown into the above categories was: (a) 39,
(b) 37, (c) 14, (d) 30.
The (d) category will be the candidate set of topics for conduct of
unsolicited searches. Among these, there will be some (14 in the
FE/PAC sample) that appear to be most suitable for an AEGIS search
without further discussion with the requester. For this group an AEGIS
search will be conducted, using the best possible search approach. Where
necessary the results may be screened by the search analyst after the
search has been conducted.*
*Actually there is no real reason why we should restrict ourselves to
AFt IS. Research' topics relevant to other CRS resources could also be
the subject of unsolicited searches.
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2. The search results will be delivered to the production analyst
involved in the project who, up to this time, is unaware that the search
has been conducted. Because the approach to the user will be important
here, I suggest that the production analyst might be contacted either
through the chief of the area division or through the appropriate ASPIN
representative.
The production analyst will be told the purpose of the study and
asked to cooperate by completing an evaluation questionnaire. This
questionnaire, which I will design in the next few days, will address
itself briefly to:"
(a) Characteristics of the user - usual sources of
information used.
(b) Evaluation of the search in terms of utility
(amount of relevance, amount of novelty, amount missed).
(c) Whether, on the basis of this specimen, he is likely
to make use of AEGIS in the future - and If not, why not.
(d) Whether AEGIS might be improved in some respect
to make it of greater material value to him.
If the AEGIS search is a little wide of the mark, the analyst will be
encouraged to discuss his needs further with a CRS analyst in order that
a second attempt at the search can be made.
3. For a sample of those searches which are "possibly AEGIS"
but in which the topic statement is not clear enough to allow an
unsolicited search to be conducted, the SODA will contact the production
analyst, suggest that an AEGIS search might be of some utility and
encourage the analyst to have a search conducted. In this case the SODA
(or other CRS analyst) will discuss the production analyst's needs in some
detail before the search is carried out. Once conducted, the search
results will be evaluated in the same way as for the other group.
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4. Volume - Based on the FE/PAC sample, it would be
reasonable to estimate a group of 15 potential search topics for
FE/PAC, 15 for the USSR and an average of, say, 7 each for the
other area divisions making a total of about 50 completely unsolicited
searches. A total sample of 10-12 "discussed need" searches (2-3
from each division) should be enough to allow a gross comparison
of these with the group not discussed before search.
5. Records - For analysis purposes I will need to receive:
(a) Each area division's breakdown of the current
research topics into the categories outlined above. For
this purpose I would like to receive, from each division,
a marked-up copy of Research Projects in Process,
March 15 issue.
(b) For each search conducted, a completed search request form
(recording any interaction with the requester), a copy of the search
strategy, a copy of the search printout, and a copy of the completed
evaluation questionnaire, together with any other comments the
SODA or division chief would like to make on the search and the
general responsiveness (or otherwise) of the recipient.
The purpose of the project is partly to continue the evaluation of
AEGIS and its potential utility to production analysts, but mainly it
should be regarded as a publicity project to bring AEGIS to the attention
of potential users. Viewed in this light, AEGIS should put its best foot
forward and produce the best possible search results. In other words,
the system should operate as closely as possible to its maximum
capabilities.
Once the results of the study have been evaluated, perhaps you will
want to repeat the project with a later issue of Research Projects in
Process - or even to do it on a regular basis, as a continuing public
relations project (indicating a dynamic rather than a passive information
service within CRS).
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In any case, later in the year it would be worthwhile following up
with a second brief questionnaire (or possibly merely by analysis of
AEGIS records via the management information system) to find out how
many recipients of unsolicited AEGIS searches make a subsequent use
of the system later in the year.
Timin - Since the entire project should be completed by June 30,
we should endeavor to have all searches conducted and evaluation forms
returned by the end of April, allowing plenty of time for analysis, interpretation
and reporting.
I suggest that, once procedures have been reviewed and agreed on, I
should get together with the SODAs and/or the division chiefs to make sure
that everyone knows what is involved. I will begin design of the necessary
forms as soon as the procedures are agreed upon.
25X1A9a
25X1A9a
OD CRS File
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