THE INFORMATION NEEDS OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NPIC, AND THE NPIC MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP73T00325R000100080001-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 9, 2008
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: December 8, 1970
• Content Type: MEMO

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8 December 1970
Copy
MEMORANDUM FOR: Executive Director, NPIC
SUBJECT : The Information Needs of the Executive. Director, NPIC,
and the NPIC Management Information System
REFERENCES (a) Memorandum and Attached Study to Executive Director,
NPIC, from Chief, PPBS, titled Definition of
Management Information Needs, Reassessment of
the Management Information System (MIS) and Con-
sideration of Alternatives, Dated 22 August 1969.
(b) Memorandum for Chief, Plans & Programs Division,
PPBS, from Frank Smutniak; titled Improvement of
the MIS, Dated 25 February 1970.
1. Per your instructions I have, been examining the current NPIC
Management Information System with the goal in mind of recommending
changes that would simplify the system and make it more responsive to
management in terms of the data needed and the timeliness of the responses.
2. Determining what kind of information is needed seemed to be the
first question that had to be answered. If this question could be answered
satisfactorily then perhaps the MIS might. be modified, changed or even
eliminated and replaced by a totally different system.(if that seemed
appropriate) in order to provide the information required. As you are
fully aware this is not an easy chore. The information that one person
feels is essential to better manage an activity, another person may feel
is of limited value and. vice versa. Also, information that is essential
today may be of little or no value tomorrow and information on new or
different functions or activities becomes of paramount value.
3. The challenge then is to define the information requirements of
management and suggest a system that will deliver the appropriate infor-
mation in a timely manner. In doing so, we must realize that an automated
system is inherently more structured and therefore more rigid than a manual
one. This really means that if we select an automated system, the one real
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ment of Soviet missile systems, ADP developments, R&D develop-
enumerated, e.g., the implementation of the National Standard
d. In addition to the above quantitative data certain
significant accomplishments not quantitative in nature are
and Air Force during the period is also included.
the imagery exploitation organizations of CIA, DIA, Army, Navy
photographic printing, dissemination and control support for
c. The number of reports to whid,1NPIC provided graphid,
Direct Support Program.
number of cables, briefing and graphic aids produced under the
Direct Support Program. Mention is also made of the substantial
requests received and reports and memoranda produced under the
low altitude) received and read out during the period.
b. The number of reports produced by the Center in the
Basic Support Program is also shown as well as the number of
a. These accomplishments include the number of satellite
missions received during the period and the number, of OAK and
OAK Supplement reports and briefing boards.produced during the
exploitation phases (l-and 2) of these missions. Similar infor-
mation is provided on the number of aircraft missions (high and
of the Center during CY 1969.
SUBJECT: The. Information Needs of the Executive Director, NPIC, and
the NPIC Management Information System
advantage of a manual system, adaptability, is immediately diminished-
We should be able to expect,.however, significant gains in the speed,
accuracy, and information content of the reports delivered from an
-automated system. All of this expectation is predicated on the assump-
tion that we can explicity define management information needs. When
those needs change as they invariably and frequently do, the adapting
of an automated information system, even if only in a minor way, to
reflect the change becomes significantly more expensive and requires
more time to accomplish than a similar change to a manual system.
4. To address specifically the kinds of information required by
the Executive Director, NPIC, to assist, and I emphasize assist him in
managing the Center, I would direct your attention to Part IV of the
NPIC Five Year Plan FY 1972-1976 which enumerates the accomplishments
ments, etc.
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SUBJECT: The Information Needs of the Executive Director, NPIC, and
the NPIC Management Information System
e. These accomplishments are set forth to show how the
resources (people and money) were used during the period
covered (CY 1969) and to justify, in large part, the re-
sources requested for the years covered by the Plan.
5. It seems logical to me then that since this is the kind of infor-
mation used to,justify the resources provided the Center that periodically
during the year (monthly or quarterly) reports ought to be furnished the
Executive Director which show what has been accomplished during the re-
porting period in each of the, categories discussed above with the resources
provided. For example, production for the reporting period should be
compared with the production during the same period of the previous year,
and with the annual commitment. Such reports would not only compare per-
formance with commitments for the year but they would also show or fore-
s~h~~t"the resources sere to~~ised- duringfie-errtander of -tlie -year:
Where commitments are not being met or when commitments were met signi-
ficantly in advance of schedule, brief but clear explanations should be
provided. In addition to the information discussed in paragraph 4 above
the Executive Director should receive reports on major personnel matters
and on the financial situation of the Center. Non-quantitative informa-
tion should be provided in clear, concise narrative form. 1^Jhether such
reports, produced by each Group or Staff, are submitted directly to the
Executive Director or to the PPBS where they could be consolidated would
depend on the wishes of the Executive Director. I personally would prefer
that each Group and Staff Chief be made responsible for reporting directly
on his own activities.
6. If you agree that the information called for in the previous
paragraph is what you need then we must ask whether or not the MIS can
produce it. The answer to the question is a resounding NO. The proof
of this statement is that the MIS is not used as a source when compiling
the information on past accomplishments for the Five Year Plan. Rather,
such information is compiled from the separate information systems main-
tained--throughout the NPIC. The MIS could of course be designed and
programmed to provide such information but at a substantial cost.
7. The principal designer of the current NPIC MIS was-given little
or no guidance re the kind of "management information" required or desired
when he was directed to design an MIS. As a result he attempted to build
a system that would answer almost any question that he and others could
conceive that management might raise. This resulted in a complex system
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SUBJECT: The Information Needs of the Executive Director, NPIC, and
the NPIC Management Information System
which accumulates a lot of information that is rarely and in some cases
never used because it'is duplicated in whole or in part elsewhere in NPIC
or in the Agency. I have in mind things like overtime, leave of one kind
or another, travel time, products produced, status of R&D projects, etc.
There are also numerous systems re the production status of projects main-
tained (manually) in NPIC and used in lieu of the MIS.
8. Let us briefly examine one of the more important of these cate-
gories - - Products -- and see how useful the MIS has been in supplying
information relative to the volume and types of products. produced by NPIC
during a specified time period. It can be stated without fear of contra-
diction that the product information (reports, briefing aids, services
performed, etc.) in the MIS is universally regarded as inaccurate, in-
adequate and incomplete. As a result the MIS cannot be used as a reliable
source from which to compile product information. Rather, such information
is-secured from sources other than the MIS, principally from records kept
by PSG. It must be pointed out that the reason the product information in
the MIS is bad is because those responsible for recording it in the system
do a poor job of it. In turn, they probably do a poor job because the
service from the system has been poor and little or no-benefit is realized
by supporting the system. As a result, product information has never been
consistently and accurately recorded in the MIS. This same condition exists
to a greater or lesser degree with respect to the other categories of infor-
mation mentioned above.
9.' There were many reasons cited for maintaining separate information
systems. A composite of the reasons given to me during this survey would
go something like the following. "The information needs of our component
are more specific and more detailed than the MIS provides, and therefore a
system geared to answer such needs was developed. Our system, because it is
geared to our specific needs, is less complicated, more easily understood by
more people, more accessible and therefore used more. Its responses are
more timely and more reliable and thus more useful in scheduling and con-
trolling project work." If this is true, and I find no reason to doubt it,
the need to continue the MIS in its present form or at all must be carefully
considered. (The Chief, PSG, feels that this paragraph does not accurately
reflect his position nor the official position of his Group.)
10. As you are fully aware, PPBS proposed in August 1969 that the MIS
be retained but modified, that a study of the NPIC information needs be made
and based on this study a new system concept be developed (Reference a).
In February 1970 PPBS proposed that certain programming actions be taken to
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SUBJECT: The Information Needs of the Executive Director, NPIC, and
the NPIC Management Information System
make.the system respond in a more timely fashion (Reference b). The
specific objective of this programming work, at an estimated cost of
nine man-months of effort, was to reduce the file update time from two
weeks at the time of their proposal to approximately one week. As of
2 November 1970, it was my understanding that the MIS file had not been
updated with the data collected for September and October 1970 and in-
deed the errors in the data submitted for July and August had not been
corrected. This condition resulted from program malfunctions and a re-
duction in the number of people assigned by AID to maintain the MIS.
This means that as of 2 November 1970 the file had not been totally up-
dated for four months.
11. This condition of course adds fuel to the two very serious
Jcri ici mmcnentlXlevelled at the MIS, i.e., the information
in the system is inaccurate and it is 66=013: Tf?t 1~tIS= s'assential=-
or even important to the NPIC operations it is difficult to understand
why such a situation was allowed to develop let alone explain why it
has lasted as long as it has. On the other hand, if the MIS is of
marginal value it is easy to explain.
12. As is apparent from the foregoing, noone is satisfied with the
MIS as it is currently structured or as it currently performs.
change is in order. The more important of the alternatives that exist
regarding the MIS seem to me to be:
the PPBS February 1970 proposal which
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calls for an estimated nine months of programming time and
which would leave the MIS essentially as it is now, but
speed up the update of the file to one-week so that the
information contained therein-is available for use. This
proposal also calls for the PPBS to further study and
analyze the ands.tor e which enttsetoi1thersystemscouldtbeumader
refinements
It must be pointed out that this approach would not
immediately provide the information called for in the pro-
posed Executive Director reports, but if the improvements
called for as a result of the analysis of the system speci-
fied the information needs of the reports the MIS could be
designed to produce it.
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SUBJECT: The Information Needs of the Executive Director, NPIC, an
the NPIC Management Information System
b. Change the concept of the MIS from that of an all-
inclusive project cost, production control, and personnel
accounting system to one which is exclusively concerned
with project costs and production control.
This in a nutshell would mean that only those people
actively engaged in. project work would record their time
for the MIS and then only that time that is spent perform-
ing a function essential to the completion of a project.
No time spent in leave, training, travel, etc., would be
recorded in the MIS. Under this alternative all personnel
in the Office of the Director, PPBS, SS and TSG would be re-
moved from the MIS. In addition, those personnel in IEG and
PSG who are engaged in activities not directly attributable
-___tQ..project work would be removed. Such a s stem would allow
for the continued collection of man-hour cost data by type of
project which would cover most if not all of the information'
needs (such as the COMIREX Resources report) NPIC has used the
MIS for in the past. It might.be of interest to know that
Central Reference Service has an information, system (computer
based) like this although it is still in the test and develop-
ment stage. Office of Economic Research also has a similar
system but it is a manually maintained one. This OER system
has been cut back from one which was substantially like NPIC's
present system.
c. Eliminate the MIS altogether and charge each Group?or
Staff with maintaining the necessary data with which to perform
their jobs and to be able to fully respond, to their superiors'
information needs. .
13. I circulated a draft of this paper (minus paragraphs 13 and
14) to the Group and Staff Chiefs for their views and comments. Where I
could I have reflected their comments in the body of this final paper. In
addition, pertinent comments re the general tone of the paper and the
alternatives and recommendations contained therein have been excerpted
from their replies and are set forth below:
a. Chief, PSG "In general, PSG does not concur in
the draft paper as written. We use and need the existing MIS;
could use, would use, and need an improved one along the lines
of our earlier discussions." With respect to the three al-
ternatives outlined in paragraphs 12 a, b and c re the MIS,
PSG prefers a, disagrees with b and makes no comment regarding c.
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SUBJECT: The Information Needs of the Executive Director, NPIC, and
the NPIC Management Information System
b. Chief, PPBS states that the types of
information I recommend be forwarded to the Executive
Director on a monthly/quarterly basis is already being
produced and distributed monthly and could be provided
the Executive Director now and without the MIS. He goes
on to say that my attempt to be specific in this regard
may have led me down the garden path to an invalid con-
clusion. He further states that the information I
recommend be provided is only a very, very small slice
of the pie and it does not provide the answer being -
sought as to the information needs. does not,
however, suggest what information should be provided.
Apropos of the MIS, stated preference of the
three alternatives listed is alternative a.
objectives and its progress toward achieving L. ese,goa s.
c. Chief, IEG - IEG agreed that the types of infor-
mation I recommend be furnished the Executive Director
'provide meaningful measures of NPIC activity, major
h 1
meaningful feels these reports must be. focused
on and analyze progress in meeting the previously establish-
ed objectives of major NPIC programs. He goes on to say
that such reports could be very time consuming to prepare
and therefore should not be done unless they -are really - :_ -? useful.
greys reports to the Executive Director might be helpful
in kee ing him a rised of developments in NPIC. To be
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With respect to the MIS, of the three alternatives
discussed in paragraph-12, IEG prefers alternative "b.-"
IEG feels that the advantages of this system would be
the elimination of non-relevant data which currently
-congests the system, a more accurate record of time ~~
recorded against projects (having eliminated the ond`_
to account for a 40 hour week) and a more timely access
to pertinent data for production control and scheduling.
IEG further feels that the maintenance of a central MIS
system is preferable over the separate collection and
analysis of data by the Groups because it provides a
uniform time frame of reporting.
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SUBJECT: The Information Needs of the Executive Director, NPIC, and
the NPIC Management Information System
IEG stated that alternative "c," which suggests that
the MIS be dropped and each Group establish or expand its
own recording system, is preferred over alternative "a,"
however, it does present the problem ofdeach rouplrecord-
ing data in different ways thereby impeding overal
analysis. IEG further states that alternative "C"ualso-
would put a considerable bookkeeping te
a burden machines can do better. Alternative "a" which
requires an estimated nine man-months of reprogramming
would result in a patch job of the present MIS system
says IEG. IEG goes on to say that this would show little,
if any, results now - and questionable results in nine
months.
d. Chief, SS says that the sort of
for management
i
res
data which the Support Staff requ
purposes is readily available in the branches. He feels
that it is more efficient to assemble this information
manually than to.process it as input to a computerized
system and then get the same data back in substantially
the same format. The information Support
with does not, he feels, require comput processing t of
put it in useable form. Consequently, upp i
Suinrthe past and
has not used the products products iof in MIS
foresees no real n d
1hil -memo does not explicitly state
a preference, of the three alternatives outlined in the
paragraph re the MIS, his statements strongly imply a
preference for alternative "c."
Relative to the information reports discussed, Mr.
r__ the nn-,t feta
i
t
s out ~--- -- -
n
correctly po
months t e Support Staff has been submitting a monthly
ch they find
d
tatistics wh
s
report which includes selecte
i
useful. These cover Personnel, Finance, Management. ai g,
Conmwnications, Security and Records Mfurther states that the statisticalfsection of this purpose
report could be expanded if. any
would be served.
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SUBJECT: The Information Needs of the Executive Director, NPIC, an
the NPIC Management Information System
e. Chief, TSG - With respect to the A'IIS, TSG states
a preference fo lye "c" which would eliminate the
MIS altogether: emphasizes, however, that TSG
will give its w ole earte cooperation to whatever system
is chosen.
tresses several points about management
ormation systems in general:
(1) Such a system is for management and
therefore decisions about its content should-be
handed down, not up. Furthermore, such infor-
mation needs should be spelled out well in
advance, preferably a year in advance.
-(2)- _ The- many .information subsystems-in NPIC---
have developed in response to specific needs and
they have usually worked satisfactorily. With
regard to the periodic repo rts called for in
paragraph five of my paper,feelsohat
the status systems already in TSG would probably
answer Center management. questions.
14. After examining the MIS, its present structure and content and
the uses to which the MIS information is put, it is my considered opinion
that alternative "b" should be approved and it is therefore recommended.
e in the concept of the MIS from that
r a chan
f
ll
g
o
s
This alternative ca
of an all inclusive project.cost, production control and personnel account-
ect costs and
h
i
proj
t
ing system to one-which is exclusively concerned w
production control. My reasons for this recommendation are:
a. It could be implemented immediately and with no
computer reprogramming required.
b.__ This system would provide man-hour cost data by__
the
area, project, function, activity, and component on
production responsibilities of NPIC and thus provide for
a continued monitoring and analysis of such costs.
c. The accuracy of the man-hour data reported into'
the system would be, I feel, enhanced because the need to
account for eight hours 'a day, five days a week would be
eliminated. The feeling by many NPIC personnel that
the system was a mechanical policeman would also be
eliminated.
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TCS 9166-70
SUBJECT: The Information Needs of the Executive Director, NPIC, and
the NPIC Management Information System
d. Other data currently input into the MIS such
as leave, overtime, training administrative time of one
kind or another, travel time, etc., are or can be made
available from subsystems throughout the NPIC.
e. Over 50% of the man-hours now reported into the
system would be eliminated and this would reduce the
costs of maintaining the system and speed up-the availa-
bility of the remaining data.
Distribution:
Copies 1 & 2 - NPIC/ODIR
3 - 5 - NPIC/ODIR
Office of the Director, NPIC
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