MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM RECOMMENDATIONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP73T00325R000100080025-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 9, 2008
• Sequence Number: 25
• Publication Date: February 16, 1971
• Content Type: MEMO

Approved For Release 2008/06/09: CIA-RDP73T00325R000100080025-8
SECRET
16 February 1971
M.BORANDIM FOR: Chief, Planning, Programming $ Budgeting Staff,
NPIC
TROUGH Chief, Plans F, Programs Division, PPBS
SUBJECT ': Management Information System Recommendations
1. Per your verbal request, I have considered the MIS problem and,
after some preliminary discussion, offer my recommendations in paragraph S.
2. Two years ago, a staff of four was assigned to maintain and operate
the MIS. Since that time, for various reasons, the MIS staff has gradually
been reduced to one. This reduction in personnel has had a serious effect
on the MIS -- updates take longer, files are not purged, and errors are
not getting corrected.
3. In an attempt to remedy this situation without increasing the size
of the staff, on 30 August 1970, the Chief/AID instituted new procedures
to speed up MIS updates by placing the responsibility for correcting man-hour
data on each Center component. Initially, these new procedures seemed to
answer the MIS dilemma because during September 1970 the MIS update was
completed on time, including correction of all errors. A staff of one,
however, is without back-up, so again the system gradually fell further and
further behind in the error correction phase and, consequently, in the
computer updates.
4. It should be noted that one of the reasons behind the 30 August 1970
change in procedure was that the MIS was two months behind schedule -- the
July and August 1970 man-hour data had not been corrected. On 11 January 1971,
it was found that the July and August errors still had not yet been corrected.
Further, now there is an additional backlog of errors to be corrected for
the months of October, November, and December 1970. In addition, in spite
of constant urging by this staff, the MIS has not been purged of closed
projects prior to August 1968. What the Center actually has then is an MIS
master file contained on three magnetic tape reels (one would do if closed
projects were purged) which does not correctly reflect manpower utilization
after July 1970.
5. If the trend outlined above continues -- and there is no reason to
think that it will not -- then by June 1971 we will have an incomplete
fiscal year of data by which to measure the Center activities. I am convinced
that there is no way to remedy this situation but to have PPBS take complete
charge of the MIS. Therefore, I recommend:
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Approved For Release 2008/06/09: CIA-RDP73T00325R000100080025-8
 Approved For Release 2008/06/09: CIA-RDP73T00325R000100080025-8
SECRL
a. Transfer two of the original four MIS slots from PSG/AID
to PPBS/RAD.
b. Continue operating the MIS under the current procedures,
but augment the MIS staff by tasking, on a part time basis, one
individual from each of the three groups to perform the following
activities within their group:
1) Collect and validate all time sheets
2) Submit time sheets for keypunching to OPB/AID.
3) Review error listings with MIS staff and produce
error free cards.
4) Submit corrected cards to MIS staff for input into the
MIS file.
5) Code retrieval parameters for special retrievals.
6) Analyze the MIS needs of their respective Groups and
present their findings to the MIS Staff.
6. In conclusion, it is clear that PPBS can hold tighter reins on the
MIS if these recommendations are approved and that they place each Group
in a close working relationship with the MIS requiring active participation.
In addition, the needs of each group can be surfaced through the working
representatives thus minimizing the creation of redundant information
systems.
Planning, Programming & Budgeting Staff
NPIC
SECRLl
Approved For Release 2008/06/09: CIA-RDP73T00325R000100080025-8