CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS FROM PROJECT ASPEN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81-00261R000300130005-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 30
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 11, 2000
• Sequence Number: 5
• Content Type: REPORT

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II. CQMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN SUPPORT OF INTELLIGENCE
PRODUCTION
Conclusions and Recommendations
We recommend 1;hat :
57. The Agency establish as standard procedure in the develop-
ment of new collection systems the coordination of the data collection
and data forwarding; formats with the individuals who must perform the
data reduction-and analysis of the data should the collection system
become operational.
58. The Information Processing Board assure the acquisition,
development, and use of one or more general data management systems
which are sufficiently close to the general design
re
uireme
t
f
.
q
n
s
or
Agency data processing applications to permit their adaptation and
use for a wide range of data processing applications and data
processing centers. We believe that general systems to incorporate
such applications may best be acquired from commercial vendors i
n
the interest of economy of maintenance, and simplicity and generality
of system operation. Experience with indigenous development of such
systems seems to indicate that we tend to build overly elaborate
systems which provide better for certain internal requirements but
tend to violate the other canons outlined, above.
59. The Information Processing Board assure that the present
capability for development of a unique program to process an
application is maintained, so that any application whose objective
i
s clearly unattainable by incorporation into a general data manage-
ment system may continue to be developed. We would make it clear.
that increased use. of general data management systems should not
displace other.appl:ications programming activity except where its..
speed, economy, and prospects for ease of data exchange make it
more attractive.; It seems ideal, however, for small,, infrequently
used programs which are subject to'change over time.
60. The Information Processing Board and its Technical Panel
'~
.
be charged with creating the means for the development of meaning-
ful communications between the systems analyst-programmer and. the
substantive analyst who may be engaged in the common development
of a computer application. Have them assure that the requisite
direction and training is given to accelerate the reduction of
communication barriers which still exist.
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61. The Agency provide time and professional and clerical
assistance to a few talented individuals each year to explore,
develop, and test essentially new techniques or new concepts in the
use of ADP to support intelligence analysis and production. These
applications may be,-developed under the leadership of either the
substantive component, or OCS depending upon the nature of the
application and the resources required to do the job.
62.? The Information Processing Board assure that the present
effort to provide a general time-sharing capability in OCS to serve
the interest of the Agency as a whole be strengthened to provide
not only on-line but also remote batch processing and remote job
entry via terminals distributed so as to make them convenient to
r users throughout the intelligence production components.
63. The Information Processing Board,in consultation with the
interested parties, assure that the OCS Interactive Services System
provides a general data management system capable of providing an
on-line
quick res
o
,
p
nse capability for large information sto
AEGIS, data bases. We believe_that_thecpresentqz:and fore-
seeable rates of use for these files in an on-line environment are
nn h; n?h tom?_" -'- 4.
to support them.
64. The Agency seek to secure an evaluation of the present
COINS experiment at the earliest Possible moment in an effort to
provide clearer guidance for future Agency planning for participation
in Intelligence Community ADP activities.
65. The Information Processing Board define minimum standards.
for control over data'entry, data base documentation and file main-
tenance for any AD]? application serving more than one component
(defined as a unit u
d
n
er the first-line supervisor).
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IV. A CENTRAL REFERENCE SYSTEM
Conclusions and Recommendations
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35. We recommend that: the Central Reference Service be
established as the point of contact for any general request for
intelligence information from outside the Agency or from within
where there is no immediate known point where the needed informa-
tion is available.
36. Only those, data which are generated and accessioned by the
reference center be provided as a direct response by the center and
that all other data are sought first from another center in the
Agency which may have resources to respond.
37. Work under way on an automated dissemination system should
be maintained and each distribution- point to be employed in the
initial system test should be directed to cooperate with CRS in
providing carefully constructed "dictionary" terms to try to guide
this s
stem Th
k
y
e wor
should be recogidi
.nze as expermental at this
stage, but it should be. widely encouraged for its long-term prospects.
38. Planning for undertaking an extension of the automated
dissemination system from SI input to all State, Defense and Agency
1 positive intelligence information received in machine language should
'be undertaken coincident with the beginning of feasibility testing.
39. The present concept of'CRS indexing should be continued,
and a systematic effort undertaken to facilitate indexing input
from the substantive analyst and to encourage such input to thec
system.
40. The Central Reference Service should seek as a general
objective a standardized document reference number which can be put
on the intelligence-information document before it is disseminated.
This reference should be capable of being generated and included
in the format of any automated document dissemination system, and
should become apart of that system as quickly as possible. It
should be made an Agency'standard immediately and expanded into a
'Community Standard Eventually.
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41. The concept and scope of document indexing by a reference
center should be developed by a top management decision. Established
at a lower level, it results either in extensive duplication of
effort or in abandonment of control over the use of intelligence
documentation. Documon' index processing has, however, been customized
by each processing organization which supports an individual or
organization reference activity.
42. .The Central Reference Service should create a personnel-
area-subject index to other organized collections of information
in the Agency. This index should include both personal and organi-
zational collections of information and authorization points for
control of.access to the respective collections. This index is an
important and complex system which mast be carefully defined,
coordinated and implemented. CRS should be assigned responsibility
for design and development of the system but'they must have the full
cooperation of all the other offices and directorates. Development
of such a system would pose an excellent test of the Information
Processing Board.
43. The present method of document storage and retrieval is
acceptable and should be maintained. It provides speed when it is
genuinely needed and is far more economical than any system of
electronic storage or video storage that we have encountered. We
ited
li
m
believe that the Agency should continue to experiment with a
number of applications in which documents are created, stored, and
searched retrospectively in an electronic format, because development'
of an on-line document index will almost certainly require a
simultaneous improvement in the speed.of delivery of documents.
44. An extensive interactive (man - machine - data base)
capability with the Central Reference Services intelligence document
index should be developed and tested as quickly as feasible. This is
one of the few large data bases in which we think there is both wide
interest and frequent use. Indeed we are told by'analysts that the
principal limitation on their use of the system is its slow response
1 time.
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V. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (R&D) IN INFORMATION
PROCESSING
Conclusions and Recommendations
13. Both ORD and OCS have long experience in general contact
and service throughout the. Agency. Beyond that point most of the
activities which seem critical to us for information processing
research and development have always been performed in OCS. A
genuine effort was made early in the development of ORD/An to coor-
dinate its activity with OCS, but this effort disintegrated from a
halting start to a general awareness of each other's existence although
some effort to restore.an interaction has begun this year. Individuals
located in OCS have both the technical expertise and the awareness
of processing activity throughout the Agency required to provide an.
optimum service to the user. What must be created in OCS is con-
fidence that Agency management will support the separation of general
development activity from the press of production activity. Having
seen the Agency willing to support development work with money and
positions elsewhere and having seen the diseconomies of the present
system, we believe that OCS would be, willing as well as able to
undertake control over this activity.
14. We recommend that the DD/S&T review the division of effort
between ORD and OC:> in the area of information processing research
and development against an alternative allocation of function and
effort which would:
a. Provide for the subsequent problem definition, and
computer application design and development effort to be
moved from ORD to OCS.
b. Provide for the transfer. of essentially standard
computer processing equipment'from ORD to OCS and for OCS
to provide a level of experimental or developmental computer
processing time necessary to support', the expanded experimental
function outlined above. We would for example urge the process-
ing time might be made available on machines appropriate to
the work involved rather than on a single machine which is used
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c. Provide for the transfer of other.equipment from the
IPRD laboratory to those surviving or anticipated development
programs which may use it most effectively, the rest to be
d. Provide for a review 'of existing ORD contracts through
the Information Processing Board and selected prospective users
to determine -which of these contracts should be continued and
under whose leadership they should proceed.
e. Provide that subsequent ADP equipment or software
test and analysis be conducted by OCS except where the items
are a direct adjunct of a special processing center such as
NPIC. The special unit would procure and test the latter
products.
f. Provide for OCS to issue a current awareness publi-
cation similar to its present Tech Notes to announce new
activities, new products, and new developments which its
research and development component consider of general
interest for Agency components engaged in-information
processing.
15. In addition we recommend that the DD/S&T and the Information
Processing Board reject the proposal of the R&D Subcommittee of the
USIB Information Handling Committee which proposes a community wide
R&D Center on the basis of the recent experience with COINS and the,
IPRD which-we believe demonstrate both the difficulty of an inte-
grated community activity and the' impracticality of performing
research and development on non-existent or badly defined require-
ments.
16. Finally we recommend that research and development projects
or programs in the area of information processing be submitted to the
same scrutiny as that proposed for ADP projects in the section below
dealing with management.
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VI. ORGANIZATIONAL AND MANAGEMENT ELEMENTS. OF
AUTOMATIC DATA PROCESSING
Conclusions and .Recommendations
26. We recommend that: The Agency reassert a policy of pro-
viding a high degree of centralization in data processing activity
in the Office of Computer Services, that this policy be tempered
by permitting the acquisition of small or medium computer processors
by functional organizations where there is a demonstrable technical-
computational economy in using a stand-alone computer system, and
that this policy continue the present emphasis on the functional
component (user) responsibility for problem definition and problem
solution. In short we recommend that computer organizations develop
the systems necessary to run. the computers and run them, and that
I functional production people prepare the data and the processing
steps required for its transformation by computer.
27. A central technical management review of major ADP projects.
be created under the present umbrella of Executive Director-Comptroller.
responsibility for Agency ADP management,. that a full-time position'
of ADP Advisor to the Executive Director-Comptroller be created for
an experienced.ADP professional whose responsibility it would be to:'
1) advise the Executive Director-Comptroller on all
professional/technical matters relating to ADP;
2) be chairman of the IPB and the director of. its .
permanent staff;
3) rev':Lew the various local plans, provide technical input
to IPB and, periodically, develop.a statement-of long term ADP
objectives ::or the Aj
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4) assign computer application design proposals to the
suitable function
l/t
h
i
l
a
ec
n
ca
review components;
5) prepare Agency-wide ADP technical standards;
6) serve. as chairman of the Agency-wide ADP Career
Service Board:
7) serve as focal point for internal leadership and for
external relations in ADP'technical/professional matters.
ti
28. Existing central ADP planning be strengthened to provide:
1) for a more definitive outline of Agency objectives to
be achieved.in related or overlapping office plans and for
regular revision and publication of the Agency ADP Plan,
2) for the definition and publication of Agency-wide ADP
technical standards beyond the present work on nationwide
(USASI) standards, and
3) for a standard format and procedure for the proposal
and review of major requests for the acquisition of computer
systems or of computer processing applications.
29. A means of pricing data processing services performed by
computer centers be developed, and that each user component be
required to budget for its data processing services and transfer the
uf-nds o ayof-rhese services in essentially the same way that.
property funds are handled.
30. An Agency.ADP Career Service be created.
31. Existing ADP training programs introduce additional emphasis
on the changing responsibility or role of the user in an on-line and/or
real-time computer environment, and that functional organizations
review the need for unit training of personnel in the use of quanti-
tative and/or logical techniques in indigenous analytical problems.
32. The Director,OCS be an ex officio participant on the
Information Processing Board and That the DD/S&T should be represented
on the Board by an individual who reflects the computer user popula-
tion of the whole Directorate. The presence of the Director,OCS on
the Board is imperative, but we believe he-should participate in his
capacity as director of computer processing rather than as the
representative of a.Directorate with large-processing requirements.
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1. FOREIGN MISSILE AND SPACE ANALYSIS CENTER
1.4 Conclusions and Recommendations.
The comprehensive ADP needs of FMSAC?for its intelligence
production requires daily consultation and support from the Office.
of Computer Serv:Lces(OCS). The established excellent working
relationship between OCS and FMSAC?personnel has been instrumental
in developing and maintaining ADP applications to support FMSAC's
intelligence production. The following recommendations are suggested
to continue and expand the OCS-FMSAC ADP efforts:
(1) Expand coordination between OCS and FMSAC when changes
in OCS digital computer equipment, systems, and/or operating
procedures are to be implemented.
(2) Extend OCS efforts to obtain and/or evaluate a general'
purpose data management system for Agency use and to support
FMSAC's Information System requirements.
(3) Continue experimentation with use of ADP for intelli-
gence production, (e.g., generate the FMSAC quarterly reports
of analyses on foreign missile and space events from the new
comprehensive Information System).
(4) Provide expansion capabilities to improve data
.processing of current information receipts, to economically
process peal: loadings of information, and to provide for.
i
process
ng a steady growth of foreign missile and space
intercepted data, and ?textua,l messages. vM v~
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2.4 Recommendations.
We believe that the development of advanced ELINT processing
systems, capable of fully exploiting the signal environment in which
the Agency has undertaken a collection and production responsibility
is essential. Better coordination of OEL-contractor interaction
with OCS systems analysis efforts to support both the?OEL processing
and the OEL collection activities seems to be needed. Indeed, we
observe that there is a large and diverse-effort in signal analysis
spread over a wide range of organizations including OEL, FMSAC, OCS,
An/ORD, 0C and FIE The techniques of using automata to support 25XIA
such analysis have many attributes 'in common and can, in many
instances, be solved using common techniques. We believe that a
form of technical'review much like what is proposed in the main
section of the paper on organization and management is needed to
provide a better coordination and control of these various analysis
programs and with it a better use of our limited technical capa-
bilities to support automation of signal processing.
The recommendations contained herein are primarily concerned
with the Analysis Division, as this division is most closely allied
with the production of intelligence in the ASPIN sense. However,
since the analysis function is often tied in with the collection
effort, recommendations regarding one will have direct or indirect
bearing on the other. For example, certain analysis systems were
designed to work with a particular collection system over which the
Analysis Division had little or no control.
We recommend that a technical review panel be established to
review past, existing and proposed Analysis programs and projects
to determine their relative effectiveness, relationship to each
other and to other work, being done on signal analysis. Those
programs, whether in existence or being developed, which cannot
demonstrate a unique, cost-effective capability should be abandoned.
The review mechanism to carry out these recommendations should
include representatives from the various organizations involved in
signal processing, and possibly an outside contractor at the outset:-
A properly constituted body could, and we think should, carry a
comparable review of work being done in the signal processing area.
by each of the organizations identified in 2.3.2 above.
We recommend that a continuing effort be made to provide personnel:
to Analysis Division to permit them to undertake internally the
conceptual and detailed design of the processing interface to MT...
collection systems presently performed under nnntract
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3.. OFFICE OF SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE
3.6 Conclusions
OSI's "walk?-before-you-leap" approach to ADP seems sensible
to us. It is easy to inaugurate projects with outside "help"
but,more difficult to assure the direction of these projects to
show improvement in operations, particularly a cost saving. In
the "number-crunching" field -- solving calculations that would
be impossible because of their complexity or number of interactions,
as for the ABN problem -- OSI has been successful and these efforts
seem well in hand and evolving satisfactorily. The recent addition
of remote terminals in an on-line system will particularly facilitate
program development and test as well as interactive running of
computational programs. In general OSI's computer usage is growing
steadily as more uses 4re found, more personnel become familiar
with it, and more, equipment becomes available.
The area that seems to hold promise for the greatest improve
ment is in data indexing, storage,'and retrieval, (ISR), but there
appears to be no single high-priority OSI intelligence problem
that would Justify an ISR research effort by itself. OSI should
support any Agency effort in this area, such as that by CRS to
extend FMSAC's automated dissemination system.
What are the characteristics of ADP that make it unique
with respect to manual systems? For years we were led to expect
savings because of the savings ADP produced in the performance of
clerical functions. 'In.the development, of assistance to intellectual
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or analytical activity, neither money nor manpower is likely
to be saved. Speed is great but there's what has been called
a "5 millisecond and 48 hours" effect - the machine operates
in fractions of a second, but delivery of input and output may
take days. To some-extent development of real-time sensors
hitched to reliable communication systems has begun to reduce
this problem. Remote terminals have helped the analyst in
his design or comou'tational problem, but OSI, by the nature
of its tasks, has few problems requiring instantaneous responses.
The factor of most importance to OSI would seem to be ~.,
what I term comprehensiveness. As files grow the analyst tends.
to remember best the most recently acquired reports, whereas
an older report could be of more significance for his immediate
?problem. One expert in the field has said that nowadays most
decisions are made following consideration of no more than 20%
of the facts that bear on the question; an automated data
retrieval system should be able to raise that percentage.
This might well require reeducating analysts in how to use large
volumes of material. Most today "intuitively" feel their
decisions are correct, based on their experience and on a small
percentage of the available facts. With more facts, if they
know how to separate wheat from chaff, more solidly based decisions
should be forthcoming.
There is also the case of the 20- or 30-year analyst who.
.retires?and his personal files, whether well organized or.not,
are kept for awhile and eventually discarded. This is a tremendous
waste of our resources. The information in such files, if they
could be in an automated file, would then remain available. for
use by anyone.
The other principal factor is ability to handle large
volumes. Most analysts have reasonably efficient files, i.e.,
they are reasonable in size and'cost, furnish speedy access to
desired information and are reasonably easy to maintain. The
average OSI analyst receives 82 documents per day and spends
9% of his time maintaining his file; less time and he would not
know what was in his file. But the charts of CRS indicate an
ever growing influx of data for the 1970's and most analysts are
going to need the help of ADP in managing their data bases
efficiently. Even now some files are large and threatening to
become unmanageable. Manual files should be set up so that they
can easily be converted to ADP if desired. For instance typefaces.
should be standardized with respect to optical character readers
(OCR). Research in the OCR field should be pushed as part of the
input problem. Such developments as},that at Compuscan should be
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carefully monitored -- as CRS is.;doing -- for possible use
by the Agency.
Even today there are a few analysts with a large number
of incoming documents (1000 NSA.electricals or 1500 Navy
cables a month). Since these are already in machine readable
form at some stage of their transmission.-development of an
automatic sort/dissemination system should be pushed strongly.
Another similar problem is that of such high-volume, low-value
STATSPEG ources as press and -ticker. An automatic sort/dissemination
system for this material would save many hours of analysts' time.
Another part, of the input problem is with large existing
analyst files. No way has yet been devised for economically
changing such manual files into automated files. The only
method available is .a "brute force" typing or key punching job
that can be justified only for highest priority problems.
Can new types of Optical Character Readers hel here? Or ossibly
.Computer Operated Microfilm offers promise.' is
investigating part of this problem for CRS.
The. ASPIN questionnaire showed that OSI analysts seldom
use central files and then mainly as a back-up for personal files.
A management problem is thus to determine whether the present
type central reference service can be justified if it is used
predominantly for archival or back-up use. On the face of it,
it would seem that it might be more efficient to allow analysts/
{ branches to maintain larger automated files within their specialty
and for the reference library or service to publish (and keep
up to date) a directory of where different types of information
are stored. However the AEGIS file system is good and improving
and in existence, while automated personal files are few and far
between at present. 'CRS must educate the working analysts as
to the thus-far underused capabilities of AEGIS. It-would certainly
be beneficial for users if remote terminals now installed for OCS
computers could also .be linked to CRS1.s AEGIS system.
3.7 Recommendations
Where do these conclusions lead us? There seem to be two
prime areas of consideration for OSI:, support of the R&D effort
and education and training.
1. OSI should support strongly, with money and man-
power if needed, promising research and development efforts
in the following areas:
(a). ssemination/storage. system along
lines of Sortdi proposal in CRS.
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(b) Personal file management, along lines
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(c) Input/output research of ORD and other
Agency components looking into OCR, computer output.
to microfilm (COM), or other, methods.
2. OSI should push training of its own personnel
in ADP so that they may better adopt this technology
to the analytical and operational problems of the office.
This user education should cover both interactive systems
and batch p:^ocessing. The users cannot sit back and
await developments, but must jump in and learn enough
about ADP to influence development. There exists a
continuing need for training of analysts in the develop-
ment and manipulation of files with or without ADP to
improve our research effort.
3.8
3.9
Original AS;?IN Survey Questionnaire for OSI (attached).
Original AS;?IN-Questionnaire for Established ADP Applications
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4. CENTRAL REFERENCE SERVICE
.4.9 Conclusions and Recommendations
4.9.1 Conclusions. Computers are making a significant con-
tribution to the information handling aspects of CRS's mission
and this contribution can be expected to improve in quality and
increase in quantity in the future. Automatic dissemination is
an example of a project which promises to improve significantly
the quality of CRS's product through the use of computers. In
general, file building and services are directly responsive to
expressed user needs, and functional activities vary among CRS 25X18
components to accommodate the needs of user offices. The '25X18
in CRS, ISG's heaviest single expenditure Wrms
o manpower, can be most effectively handled by a judicious manual/
machine mix,.as it; is resent. New or expanded use of machines 25X18
to support the effort will no doubt be implemented as
opportunities are ent ied. The installations and photographic
functions also require both manual and machine methods. A
centralized document storage and retrieval system is essential.to
the Agency and provides useful service to other agencies in the
intelligence community. Subject retrieval'using the computer
has improved overall response to. users. The AEGIS system is
working well, although some modifications could result in
better response to users.
4.9.2 Recommendations Regarding AEGIS. Some adjustments,.
.most importantly improved communications between end-user and
the system and within the system itself, could significantly
improve the system's performance.-
Recommendation. Continue efforts toward creating
on-line remote query capability within CRS.. This capability
would permit the ISG analyst to refine the query interactively
while the request is still fresh in.his mind and sufficiently
early in the process to ensure timely delivery of citations to
the end-user.
Recommendation.- Encourage user participation by
extending to him the opportunity to influence AEGIS data base
coverage, indexing and query formulation. Specifically, (1)
periodically circulate. to production offices memoranda. explaining
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changes in indexing and selection policies, (2) seek user advice
when creating new "canned" queries for NIS runs, etc., (3)
simplify procedures for and encourage ad-hoc selection of items
for the data base by ISG analysts, (4) provide for expanded cover-
age of State Telegrams in the-data base,. (5) devise a method
whereby production analysts can routinely recommend.additional
documents or index terms for documents already selected for the
AEGIS data base.
Recommendation. Conduct a campaign to
publicize CRS's
service, especially as regarding AEGIS. Specifically, (1) expand
and/or upgrade :--overage of reference facilities in the CT program
and in orientation training, (2) prepare easy-to-read'tutorial
pamphlets for user offices, (3) attach an information sheet to
every AEGIS listing given to a user to include, at minimum,
explanation of some of.the special codes appearing in the listing
and a clear definition of the contents of the data base queried
(time span, document series, etc.), (4) change the name of the
system to an acronym which better identifies its purpose.
Recommendation. Expand the training of ISG analysts
in the use of AEGIS, with special emphasis on customer needs.
Specifically, (:1) conduct ISG-wide training classes for new analysts
and refresher course for old, (2) continue and expand, if possible,
th
e current practice of assigning ISG analysts to TDY tours in
.'production offices to gain insight into customer needs, (3) limit
assignment to a few analysts to handle AEGIS requests in branches
where AEGIS runs are few.
Recommendation. Although substantial improvements
in the document delivery sub-system have been achieved in the
past, continuing attention should also be devoted to shortenin
i the time required for the delivery of the documents themselves'
to the customer and further improving the quality of reproduc- \\
tion.
Recommendation. Accept as a goal the existence of
a limited number of standardized software packages within the
Agency and ensure that any future major changes in AEGIS soft
ware be compatible with this goal.
4.9.3 Non-.AEGIS Recommendations
Recommendation. Investigate the possibilities of
expanding the use of the computer to support CRS's other
functions such as installations and photographic. 25X16
In particular, investigate Mee possibility of extending to
the ISG analyst the ability. to build and maintain special files
on-line.
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Recommendation, Continue the automatic dissemination
project as a viable and useful application of the computer in
CRS's mission, and give specific attention to data preparation
(message identification,' Content Control Code, etc.) within
and outside the Agency, which might aid in'the automatic dissemina-
tion of incoming documents.
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SECT ET
6. OFFICE OF BASIC AND GEOGRAPHIC INTELLIGENCE
6.4 Recommendations
1. Development of the AUTOMAP system should continue. The
pace of development should be guided by the availability of resources
and by the capacity of Agency cartographers to absorb new extensions
of the system into their day-to-day operations. AUTOMAP develop-
ments should. be carefully watched by people building other systems
in which the manipulation of graphic data is an important system
objective.
2. Experimentation with techniques of statistical and numerical
and other types of
e
3. OBGI should be care u
takings which center on the visible outputs of the Office's activity
particularly, encyclopedic, and reference outputs - and those which
are directed at the more recalcitrant problem of applying ADP to
serve the analyst as an analyst in his inteliigence,producing role.
ADP applications which assist in the publication of,'documents and
analysis should be encouraged. Intelligenc
data collection activities which yield numerically manipulatable
information related to OBGI's interests are well established, and
the number of them.is increasing. This fact argues for the need
,.to develop an understanding of the methods needed to analyse and
interpret numeric; data.
f 1 to distinguish between ADP under-
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support high-quality printing, and proposals which would
collections now appearing in books under computer controlparedata
meritorious if the objectives are sound and are well met. However,
these projects are not a substitute for the development of methods
or systems which are operated on behalf of the analyst. The
indications are that the Office recognizes this fact and that
current activity in Geography Division is directed toward the
investigation of ADP methods to assist and strengthen the analyst.
4. Geography Division and, to a lesser extent
pr
Cartography Division, would stand to benefit from a probably,
to bring to analysts an increased awareness of the AEGISSubjemactgned
Search System and to tell them how it works and how they can ke ~'.
use of it. The ASPIN survey has indicated that many analysts are
not even aware that the Agency has a system for the retrospective
searching of intelligence literature.
5. A joint attempt should be made by OBGI and the other
production offices to open CRS' Subject Search System to documen-
tary materials now excluded from that-system. Anal s
request that certain documents be indexed b y is could
y
could be created in the analytical c
rds
C
omponent
s
and then put into
the system. Several offices are now exercising their privilege
of tapping computer resources at will in order to develop the'
own special computer applications for controlling bibliographic
data on documents of particular interest to them. Since these
efforts are not being coordinated, the result is that a number of
separate applications are springing up, same thing and all recreating to a great ent't
all doing basically the
already built into the existing system. Ironic Ironical llly, the the only
4 restraint on the e only
proliferation of these separate systems is being
applied by the computer services
p
the requirements bi:ought to them, aoele who, within the limits of
these projects. This, however using existing software for
than b , is coordination by default rather
th design by plan and it does not, in any case, extend to coordination
parameters and specificat;-
6. At the time when specific ADP applications and computer`
activity in general are tending more and more to
pervade
activity of intelligence analysis, the Agency should reconsider
the implications of continuing to have one of its intelligence
research elements physically separated from all the others and
should consider the advis b'
a
L.LLY
ldinof having Geography Division
relocated in headquarters
bui
the Geography Division 'anal sts g? The physical isolation of
from the Agency's other Y (in Magazine Building, in Rosslyn)
r'r Agency research elements and from the
J centers of programming and other computer activity is
a barrier to the kind of relationships which tend to foster, over
time, productive applications supportin
i
t
l
g
n
e
ligence analysis.
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8. OFFICE OF ECONOMIC RESEARCH
8.4 Conclusions and Recommendations
8.4.1 Scientific Computing. Most of OER's ADP applications
originated to relieve analysts of the burdens of extensive manual
,calculation and to permit the use of sophisticated mathematical-
economic models in analysis of intelligence problems. Key elements
in continuing to improve OER's scientific calculation capabilities
are: (1) the provision of scientific subroutine
greater power, (2) the training of OER analysts inathegusewofhthese
packages and basic,-,programming languages, (3) the provision of on-
line access, and (4) the employment of semi-professional assistance
in developing and maintaining ADP applications.
(1) Scientific subroutine packages: Analysts in OER
have the computational capabilities of 25X1A
available to aid them in their computational work. OER will
continue to be alert to th
e development of new, more powerful
packages which include scientific subroutines useful to
economists.
(2) Training: OER has a. training program designed to
teach the use of scientific subroutine packages and basic
programming languages to professionals This
successful
program has expanded the pool of manpower in OER which can use
ADP facilities in resol
i
v
ng computational problems. OER should
continue to control this traini
ng in a workshop mode so that
office-requirements for new techniques can be met as quickly
as the new techniques become
operational.
(3) On-line access: OER has two remote, on-line devices
(an IBM 2260 terminal and an IBM 2741 terminal). As more
terminals become available, OER analysts will have faster
turnaround time on their computation problems than they have
had under the past system of job submission'to the,OCS Center
for batch processing. Terminals also drastically reduce the
time spent writing and debugging programs submitted for batch
operation. OER should develop the terminal-cluster concept of
equipment location so as to optimize terminal usage, allow for
a variety of terminals and. provide assistance to new users.
Including a Remote-Job-Entry device in the equipment cluster
would reduce the time spent at terminals by analysts.
(4) Semi-professional assistance: OER should begin
systematically selecting mature, intelligent and motivated
clericals who appear to be career-oriented for fo,?nmal and
informal training' in. ADP skills (equipment.operat?ion,
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programming and file creation and management)'. A cadre of
semi-professionals knowlegeable in inputing, maintaining and
retrieving from file management systems in support of produc-
tion analysts will become a valuable resource as the number
of ADP applications in OER grows in the future. These intelli-
gence assistants.would not be expected to originate ADP
applications or to liaison with computer centers.
8.4.2 File Management Applications. The relatively few file
management applications in OER's inventory of ADP applications
suggests that the:^e is substantial room for growth in this area.
Indeed, several analysts specifically mentioned that the "record keeping" behind their ADP applications might be automated. Small
file management applications can build from the lessons of the
25X1A successful projects: carefully selected subsets
of existing sys ems were redesigned for the specific applications.
Looking to the future, OER should move toward developing banks of
raw, unevaluated :intelligence data maintained at'the branch level
and repositories of finished, evaluated intelligence data main-
tained at the Office level. These sources would provide.data for
inter-country studies and for current intelligence support.
?OER should exercise great restraint, however, in choosing
data sets and ADP systems for major file management applications
and should undertake such applications only if the likely benefits
can be reasonably expected to greatly exceed the substantial costs
in money and manpower required to implement file management appli-
cations. *Unrelia'3le'hardware and complicated file management
software have been barriers to implementation and acceptance of
file management applications elsewhere. Moreover, any file manage-
ment application will require substantial manhour committments to'
maintenance even when operational. The amount of analyst time
devoted to maintaining an operational ADP system should be care
.fully weighed against the alternative of manual maintenance of,
files in arriving at the decision on automation.
8.4.3 The Document Dissemination ("Mail") System. OER
should participate fully in CRS's automatic dissemination project.
This project is aimed, inter alia, at automating part of the
existing system of document dissemination in the Agency. Production
branches would be expected to contribute'a list of keywords which
describe their document receipt needs and in return the branches
would receive faster, more accurate mail service,. thus meeting a
major complaint of many OER analysts. In the early stages, this,
participation will consist only of consultation with CRS, but in
later, testing stages the project might benefit, by the detailed
cooperation. of a specific OE.R branch.
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8.4.4 Centralized Document Storage and Retrieval. The
Central Reference Service will periodically review and revise its
system of centralized document storage and retrieval. OER analysts
have found little use for this system in the past because of (1)
the long time lag :between the request to CRS and the receipt of
:hard-copy documents, (2) the large amount of unwanted and irrelevant
material included in a returned run, and (3) the inconvenience in
,using the system. OER should provide consultative services to
CRS in its attempts .to improve the system and should encourage its
analysts to work with CRS analysts in refining queries to the
system. Substantial OER manpower resources should be committed to
CRS' attempts to improve its system only if the features of that
system which are :important to OER analysts are to be materially
improved over the existing system. For example, OER analysts should
not be committed to index documents for any centralized document
storage and retrieval system without a guaranty that the system's
service in terms of timeliness, noise and convenience will be
greatly improved over the service of the existing system.
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25X1A
9. OFFICE OF STRATEGIC RESEARCH
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9.5 Recommendation
Conduct a;controlled test to measure the effectiveness -of
and to determine the detailed requirements for expansion
and/or modification.
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10. NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER
10.4 Conclusions
10.4.1 Prime Source of Information. The primary source
of information for NPIC's production efforts is of course imagery.
While NPIC receives and utilizes other documents and materials
in the production of its end product, such materials are used
merely in a back-up or assist capacity in the exploitation of
imagery, never as a prime information source.
10.4.2 Volume of Non-imagery Materials and its Control.
The volume'of the materials (other than imagery) received in
NPIC is relatively small and the great bulk of such receipts
is acquired through and controlled by the NPIC library operating'
on the basis of requirements received from other components of
the NPIC. This system appears to work well and appears to be
efficient.
.second phase exploitation, Supplement produc- .25X1A
tion). .
distribution are serviced from these library files. .
10.4.4 Installations Data File. The most useful and
productive ADP application at NPIC is said to be the Installations
Data File formerly known as the Targets Brief File. This file is
used in and is.essential-to the efficient o eration of first and
10.4.3 Branch Files. There are some, but relatively ?few,*
Branch files ma:Lntained of these materials, practically no .
individual files. The great bulk of such materials retained by
NPIC are physically kept in the files of the library and requests
by NPIC analysts for information on documents subsequent to initial
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10.4.5 Exploitation Products File. The Exploitation
?roducts File fcrmerly called the All Source File is
characterized as being important to the third phase exploita-
tion (detailed PI*report production).
10.4.6 Mensuration Parameters File. The Mensuration
Parameters File which makes possible the highly accurate
mensuration system at NPIC was cited as an essential capability
that would probably not exist without ADP.
10.4.7. Evaluation of ADP Support. While there were some
serious criticisms expressed of the ADP support provided to
NPIC by the Automated Information Division it was felt by every
respondent that 'their ADP applications were worth the work involved.
The deficiencies cited in and the improvements sug-
gested for the NPIC ADP programs are the usual ones, i.e., response
time frequently too slow and should be speeded up; file main-
tenance not kept current; retrieval capabilities not selective
enough, etc.
The Integrated Information System which is in essence
an up-dating of -;he major portion of the NPIC ADP capability
should, when it becomes operational, alleviate and possibly
eliminate the great bulk of the deficiencies noted in the NPIC
ADP programs. In addition, it should also further reduce the
amount of materials kept in Branch level files which in my opinion
are considerably less in volume than one might expect in an
operation the size of NPIC.
10.5 Recommendations
10.5.1 NPIC. As stated in the Conclusions, above, NPIC
currently has its full share of problems in the ADP field. It
is expected, however, that when the Integrated Information System
(IIS) becomes operational (scheduled during second quarter of
FY 1971) most, if not all, of these problems will be alleviated
and/or solved. This.is not to say that NPIC should then set back
.and be satisfied with its ADP posture. Rather, as soon as possible,
after declaring the IIS operational, NPIC should devote a con-
tinuous effort to expand, improve, and update the system. The
management of the Automated Information Division, NPIC, recognizes
this and has identified a number of improvements which they plan
to accomplish in the future.. Among these.are the following:
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(1) Provide both FORTRAN and COBOL programming
capabilities at upwards of 100 terminal devices to
NPIC professionals throughout the Center. Such
capabilities will permit the computers to help solve
specific problems encountered by these personnel in
their particular areas of professional expertise..
(2) Continue efforts to develop a capability
to search free text of documents.
(3) Expand the ADP support to the research,
development, and engineering work of I~PIC. In the
past, little such support was possible because of
the priority need to develop and implement the IIS.
(4) Ccntinue to place emphasis on the. need
to improve the job priority structure, to optimize
the utilization of random-access mass storage, and
to seek a better method for using the two central
processors and associated core.
10.5.2 COMIREX. The Exploitation Subcommittee and the
Data Base Working Group for the COMIREX have been in existence
now for approximately 2-1/2 years. During this time these
two activities have accomplished a lot of good basic work.
The Exploitation Subcommittee has, for example,
provided valuable. leadership in the development of the National
imagery Exploitation Target Base (NIETB) and in identifying
the essential elements of information that are potentially
derivable,on these targets from imagery. In addition, this
committee has identified the requirements that should be
satisfied during first and second phase exploitation.
The Data Base Working Group has provided valuable
leadership in the development of, the National Base of Imagery
Derived Information (NBIDI) including identification of the
files that make up the NBIDI, i.e.,'the Installations Data
File, Objects Data File, Exploitation Products Data File, Area
Coverage Data File, Mensuration Parameters File and the Imagery
Interpretation Resource File. In addition, the Data Base Working.
Group developed a concept of computer service centers (one each
in NPIC, NSA and DIA) to ensure that the information in the NBIDI
is readily available to the users throughout the Intelligence
Community.
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We are concerned that the present lines of activity.'
of these organizations show signs of developing a series of'
bureaucratic trenches. rather than identifying and extending,a
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national photographic interpretation reference system. Future
p:a:,s of these committees should be carefully reviewed by
wto see if. the need to continue them still exists.
;,:ter natively, it. might be more appropriate to allocate such
:ecponsibilities:as are still resident with them on the line
organizations involved.'
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TRANSMITTAL SLIP I DATE
BUILDING
EXTENSION
FORM N
FEB 55 241
REPLACES FORM 36-8
WHICH MAY BE USED.
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