PROGRESS REPORT NO. 1: CIA INFORMATION HANDLING

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R000200030023-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 20, 2002
• Sequence Number: 23
• Publication Date: June 16, 1964
• Content Type: MF

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MEMORANDUM FOR:
Executive Director-Comptroller
SUBJECT
Progress Report No. 1: CIA Information
Handling
REFERENCES
a.
b.
c.
Action Memo A-375, 28 April 64
DDS&T Memo 1403-64, 15 May 64
ExecDir Memo for DDI and DDS&T, 22 May 64
1. In reference a. you placed upon the DD/I the responsibility
for developing "the best possible system foratheahandling monthly
information, indexing and data processing,"
progress reports. This is the first such report.
2. Action to date has been in two areas. First, it was
necessary to get clarification from O/DCI regarding intent,
particularly where conflict appeared to exist between the
allocation of assets between Agency demands and Community
demands. Second, it was necessary to formulate a rationale
for developing policy and concepts on an Agency-wide basis
and for implementing approved policy and concepts.
3. Clarification the have irector's Cartereand
through conversations which
the Executive Director, and further clarified by reference
ions
issued by the Executive Director in response to certain questions
raised by the DD/S&T in reference b.
4. I now have satisfied myself as to how to proceed. My
general concept is as follows:
? Placing general responsibility on the DD/I for
the over-all development of information systems
is sound. DD/I is the intelligence production
area, hence should in collaboration
initheothemulation
concerned areas, play the key
of policy to guide the development of information
systems.
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A policy group to guide this development can, in
my judgment, operate effectively by having in the
group representatives from the components having
major information systems responsibility, both
user and designer. I therefore plan to use an
informal group to be known as Project 375 Group
(after the number of your Action Memorandum),
composed of:
Paul A. Borel, Chairman
Joseph Becker 1
ILLEGIB
? I intend to propose to the Project 375 Group that
we first draw up general guidelines indicating the
direction the Agency should take in the years ahead.
This would cover such fields as transmissioneorieval,
information, machine translation, storage,
and processing photographic intelligence.
? We would then recapitulate the programs underway in
DDP, in NPIC, in OCS, in OCR, and identify the
gaps between what we had set as goals and what we
had underway.
From that point we would recommend to DCI what more
we ought to be doing together with costs involved.
Once an over-all program was approved at a given
level, we would press for implementation, and conduct
periodic reviews to surface desirable modifications
in the over-all program.
5. As you know, the area of information processing is a
complex one; the implementation of programs cuts across directorate
~-
lines as does perhaps no other activity. The encouraging thing
S, is already
is that much of what wmust
andeOCRy, Ia nbebieve
professionally worked on by OC good will we can collectively
that given this start and given g
accomplish the DCI's wishes with the approach outlined above.
As long as I have the responsibility to coordinate these matters
in his behalf, I will seek to usepresent channels manddd
and existing machinery whenever possible.
be proposed by the group, the matter would be presented to
the CIA Research and Development Review Board and budgeted for
by the appropriate directorate.
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6. In short, through an informal grouping of those now
most heavily engaged in various systems work we will pursue
the objective of developing in CIA advanced information handling
systems which not only are responsive to the needs of the times
but which are related to each other in a meaningful way.
7. One last point. You asked for monthly reports. In
significant progress
this business, once the main lines are set,
ro ose therefore,
I p p
arters
.
is more likely to be seen by qu
with your approval, to hereafter submit Project 375 Reports
quarterly.
PAUL A. BOREL
Assistant Deputy Director
Intelligence/Management
cc: Mr. Becker
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