(UNTITLED)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-04723A000100140008-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 13, 2001
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: November 6, 1968
• Content Type: NOTES

Approved For Release 2001/08/31 CIA-RDP78-04723A000100140008-3
1. It's fairly easy to get rather accurate data on the
quantitative aspects of the Agency's information processing effort.
The list of data suggested for a Computer Application Registry or
Control purposes is almost totally quantitative. The usefulness
of this data to IPS would seem to be fairly limited. It will
provide good insight into hardware utilization and a reasonably
good estimate of manpower utilization. Current hardware and man-
power utilization is a control element but not necessarily a prime
control element. We know now for example, that the utilization
trend is upward and that at some future point we will exceed our
information processing capacity. The only thing the data asked for
will provide is a more accurate estimate of when we will exceed
capacity. This is important but not very effective problem solving.
2. It is my understanding that with the exception of items
4 and 12 these data are routinely collected and reported by OCS. A
summary should suffice for most IPS purposes.
3. It would seem to me that IPS should be providing some
leadership to the hard job of determining how to develop qualitative
data for supporting management decision about Agency information
processing projects. Until these guidelines are developed we will
always be involved in an endless spiral of increasing demand and
increasing capability.
4. The following proposals are presented for arguments sake
but also with some conviction that they represent a reasonably pro-
ductive approach.
Information Processing only makes sense when examined
from the customers (users) point of view. Support Directorate
experience has been that users rarely ide a problem incor-
rectly. Their definition of the problem may not be complete and
their solutions aren't always the best but after all is said and
done the problem remains much as it was. Much of our present
difficulty exists because the customer and the computer personnel
focused on discrete problems and solved them. This separate and
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Approved For Release 2001/08/31 : CIA-RDP78-04723A000100140008-3
sequential approach to problem solving can only lead to a
continuing upward ~ ,Utilization spiral. A management overview
is required to 3;n-the problem in its appropriate context,
provide an objective review of alternatives and recommend
to management, not ADP management, a preferred course of action.
So long as management, ADP management included,
avoids some kind of ranking we will continue to compete among
ourselves for resources. There is no simple way to develop
priorities but until office priorities are developed into
directorate priorities and directorate priorities ar arranged
into Agency priorities no reasonable resource allocion can
be determined. The Agency 5 Year ADP Plan has established
priorities and allocations which appear to be reasonable. What
additional sus shout..d_._hetakea,_._to_.nake the _Aency Plan, .,an
action document rather than an academic exercise? This would
be a most appropriate question for the Information Processing
Staff and the Directorate IP Coordinators.
It goes without saying that Information Processing
systems require good documentation. We tend to ignore the
equally important requirement to document proposals for utiliz-
ing the Information Processing resource. The Agency 5 Year Plan
calls for "complete and open disclosure of plans." What form
should this complete and open disclosure take? In the Support
Directorate we are attempting to provide the following kind of
(1) A thorough analysis of the system.
This analysis in narrative and flow chart
form identifies what the requirements are and what must
be done to satisfy the requirement. We assume the
validity of the requirement until completion of analysis.
We do not specify how the requirement will be handled.
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(2) A "staff study" stating
Purpose or objectives
Relationship to on-going projects
Relevant facts (from systems analysis)
Discussion of alternatives
including costs
equipment
personnel
etc.
Recommended alternative
Time frame and target dates
5. Given these elements, context, priority and documentation
we should be able to arrive at informed management decision. The
important thing here is that these are not decisions made by Information
Processing managers. The Information Processing Staff along with
all others concerned with Information Processing should focus on how
to provide Agency management with the capability for informed decision
making. Requiring the kind of data reflected in the computer application
or control registry does not move us in that direction.
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