MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (MIS)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP73T00325R000100020028-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 3, 2008
• Sequence Number: 28
• Publication Date: July 9, 1970
• Content Type: MEMO

Approved For Release 2008/06/03: C_ IA-RDP73T00325R000100020028-1
SLUR J
NPIC/PPBS/PPD-14/70
9 July 1970
MEMORANDUM FOR: Chief, Plans $ Programs Division, PPBS/NPIC
SUBJECT : Management Information System (MIS)
What is the MIS?
The MIS handbook gives the following definition:
"The MIS is a method of collecting data on Center activities
in order to provide a systematic means of accounting for
tasks levied on the Center, the effort expended by Center
personnel, and a record of the resulting products. The
information acquired can be used not only to determine how
manpower was used, but also to assess the status of work in
process and to determine the Center's capability to take on
additional work and the relative priority in which it will
be accomplished. Furthermore, based on past performance, the
MIS can assist in projecting the Center's need for manpower
and funds.
The system provides information. It does not make decisions--
that is the responsibility of management. It does, however,
enable management to make decisions based on a greater range
of information than would be possible without the system.
The system is quantitative only in that it records how much
was produced, how long an effort took, or how many man-months
of effort were involved. It does not evaluate quality. The
customer is the judge of the quality of the Center's product;
the supervisor of the employee's performance.
The effectiveness of the MIS is chiefly determined by the
information entered into it. Since most of the information
going into the system comes from the individual employee's
accounting for his time, the wholehearted cooperation of each
person is essential for the system to work properly."
What is the Purpose of the MIS?
1. To provide a statistical base from which management can
assess past and current operations and to plan for oncoming commitments.
2. To provide a tool to be used by the line manager in evaluating
his component's performance.
Approved For Release 2008/06/03: CIA-RDP73T00325R000100020028-1
SECRET
Peed frr eu!;nn
krsigeclit RAC
l..d...I5G.U1 I
 Approved For Release 2008/06/03: CIA-RDP73T00325R000100020028-1
NPIC/PPBS/PPD-14/70
3. To present information to production components for planning
and controlling their work.
4. To report status information of the Center's work flow.
5. To provide a standardized method of accounting for and
reporting manpower utilization.
In What Ways has the MIS been Used?
1. Primarily for analysis of specific projects or programs to
determine:
a. Cost of a project or program in terms of manpower and
dollar equivalents.
b. Duration of a project.
c. Types of activities (PI, editing, graphics, etc.)
associated with a project and the cost of each; e.g.
what is the PI cost of a certain report, what is the
cost of security escort duty, etc?
d. What are NPIC's overtime costs against what type of
work?
e. How many and what types of projects are associated
with the various NPIC components?
f. How many projects are completed in a given time, how
many are started, how many are cancelled and how many active
projects are there currently on the books?
2. The MIS has also been used to forecast the effort required to
exploit a mission.
3. The MIS has been used to provide the Production Management
Board with a project status report to facilitate project scheduling.
4. The MIS is used to show NPIC support to CIA and non-CIA
components.
5. The MIS has been used on numerous occasions to answer ad hoc
requests for information by the various levels of NPIC and Agency
management. These requests vary from computer utilization, report
production, costs of certain programs, planning, budgeting, training,
travel, etc.
Why is the MIS Needed?
SECRET
Approved For Release 2008/06/03: CIA-RDP73T00325R000100020028-1
 Approved For Release 2008/06/03: CIA-RDP73T00325R000100020028-1
SE1t(t i
NPIC/PPBS/PPD-14/70
1. It is the only source of Center-wide information by which
management at all levels can measure the Center's performance.
2. It enables all Center personnel to use the same system there-
by reducing operation costs.
What Alternatives are There?
? 1. Have no central system, proliferating a multitude of unrelated
information systems usable only to the component administrating the
system and thereby increase total management information operating
costs.
2. Create a new system, but this may well result in repetition
of the same or similar mistakes now in the MIS if a thorough study is
not performed.
3. Retain the MIS, improve, and study it; then determine what
action should be taken.
RECOMIENDATION
1. The MIS should be retained.
2. The MIS should be improved.
3. The MIS data should be.studied analytically to determine
Plans $ Programs Division, PPBS
NPIC
SECRET
Approved For Release 2008/06/03: CIA-RDP73T00325R000100020028-1