LETTER TO D. L. SCANTLEBURY FROM(Sanitized)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84-00933R000400020003-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 22, 2001
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: November 26, 1979
• Content Type: LETTER

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20505
P. L. Scantlehury
Director, Financial and C'eneral Management
Studies Division
United States Ceneral. Accounting Office
V'ashi ngton, P. C. 2054P
Enclosed you will find the completed questionnaire
contained in your letter of 23 October 1979. I hope you
find the information useful.
In analyzinq the answers provided in the questionnaire,
one uual i fication should be noted. Applications prociramming
is done in this Agency on quite a decentralized basis.
The organization which I represent within CIA is only one,
although the largest, applications organization and represents
only about 35-40% of the applications work done in the Agency.
Subsecuent.ly, while the response to questions 5, P, and 9
represent only my group, the other responses will, in my
opinion, rouohly apply throughout the Agency.
Should you have a uestions, please feel free
to call me directly on
Deputy Director tor pp, cations
Office of Data Processing
Enclosure:
Survey c!uestionnai re on Applications
Software Maintenance
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DD/A/ODP
Distribution:
Original - Addressee
1 - OLC
1 - D/ODP
2 - DD/A Chrono
2 - ODP Registry
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 STATINTL Approved For Release 2001/08/07 : CIA-RDP84-00933R000400020003-5
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 pproved For Rele`1 2001/08/07 : CIA-RDP84-00933R00f?W0020003-5
UNITED STATES GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20548
October 23, 1979
Central Intelligence Agency
Proc. Div.
Washington, DC 20505
The U.S. General Accounting Office, an agency of the
Congress, is currently studying Federal agencies' management of
applications software maintenance. As part of our study we are
interested in learning of the extent and nature of software and
software maintenance at Federal data processing installations.
We would also like to obtain the views of knowledgeable Federal
data processing professionals on these subjects.
To obtain the needed information and views, we have
developed the enclosed questionnaire, which we would like to
have completed by ADP managers or senior level staff at your
installation.
Questionnaire responses will be reported in summary form.
Although we are requesting identifying information, we are
doing so solely to enable us to obtain clarifying information,
if necessary, and to supply copies of our report to those who
request them. Also, we may visit selected installations to
augment information on the questionnaire but our intent
nonetheless is to present all information obtained in. summary
form.
We would very much appreciate it if you would return the
completed questionnaire in the enclosed envelope within 10
clays. If you have any questions, please call Mr. John Womble
telephone number: [phone] or FTS 732-2223, or Dr.
Steven Merritt: (202) 275-61.87 or FTS 275-6187.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely yours,
lfi/
D. L. Scantlebury
Director, Financial and General
Management Studies Division
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 Approved For ReleaAd 2001/08/07 : CIA-RDP84-00933R000400020003-5
SURVEY OF
APPLICATIONS SOFTWARE
MAINTENANCE
This questionnaire seeks information about
Federal agencies' management of their applications
software maintenance. The questionnaire should be
completed at the installation level by ADP managers
or senior staff members knowledgeable about appli-
cations software maintenance. If the address to
which the questionnaire has been sent is not a data
processing installation, please forward it to your
organization's data processing division.
Most questions can be answered by simply
checking a box or writing in a small amount of in-
formation. Where exact answers are not readily
available, please provide the best available estimate.
If you wish to explain or amplify any answer, please
do so at the end of the questionnaire.
The information we ask about the respondent is
needed for follow-up purposes. Answers will gener-
ally be reported in summary form. Individuals will
not be associated with specific answers.
Please return the questionnaire as soon as
possible in the envelope provided. If you have any
questions, please call Mr. John Womble on (405)
686-2223 or FTS 732-2223, or Dr. Steven Merritt on
[phone] oi FTS 275-6187.
NOTE: In completing this questionnaire,
please ignore the numbers in parentheses
to the right of a question item; they
are included to facilitate keypunching.
BUREAU, OFFICE OR COMMAND
A I L At ~,
ADDRESS
Part I Applications Software Maintenance
For purposes of this questionnaire, we have
defined applications software maintenance as
follows: any actions taken after implementation
of the software to
1) remove defects in the software including
a) defects in which the software was
programmed to do something other than
what the user wanted, and
b) defects in which the program logic was
faulty with the result that the program
did something other than what the
programmer intended
2) tune the software to make it more efficient
(less machine time and/or less core)
3) modify or enhance the software to make it
perform more end-user functions, including
a) functions originally called for in the
system design, but not implemented, and
b)_new functions requested by the user not
called for in the original system design
4) make other modifications resulting
from miscellaneous causes such as the need
to interface with other systems, system
software changes, etc.
NOTE: We are aware that each agency may
define software maintenance differently.
Regardless of your agency's definition,
please answer our questions in terms of
all the functions included in our definitic
above. This is necessary to ensure con-
sistency in responses.
1. Does your installation have responsibility for
any applications software maintenance as defined
above?
(5)
Yes
__
7 No (If no, please
/
explain
below
and
skip
to question 6.)
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Which of the following beet describes the extent
of your installation's software maintenance
responsibilities? (Please check only one.) (6)
i. /-7
2.
3. /T7
Limited - Consists solely of identi-
fying defects, new user requirements,
trouble shooting, and installing
changes for applications developed by
a central agency function outside
this installation
Limited maintenance on centrally de-
veloped applications, plus maintenance
on some locally developed systems
Full maintenance responsibility for
all applications run at this
installation
4. = Other (Please describe.)
3. Is the applications software maintenance at your
installation performed by installation employees,
by contractor employees or by a mixture of both?
(Please check only one.) (7)
1. J/ installation employees do all. applications
software maintenance
2. / 1 Contractor employees do all the appli-
cations software maintenance
3. 1571- Applications software is maintained by
a mixture of installation employees and
contractor employees
4. / / Other (Please describe.)
4. Please show the percentage of total software
maintenance (as measured by staff hours) per-
formed at your installation that falls in each
of the following categories. Show a percent
for each category (even if it is zero percent).
Percents shown should add to 100%.
Any actions taken after imple-
mentation of the software to:
Remove defects in the software,
including
a) defects in which the software j_% (8-10)
was programmed to do something
other than what the user
wanted
b) defects in which the program
logic was faulty with the
result that the program did
something other than what
the programmer intended
2. Tune the software to make it
more efficient (less machine
time and/or less core)
3. Modify or enhance the software
to make it perform more end-
user functions, including
a) functions originally called for
in the system design, but not
implemented
'' % (11-13)
% (14-16)
b) new functions requested by they. (20-22)
user not called for in the
original system design
4. Make other modifications
resulting from miscellaneous
causes such as the need to
interface with other systems,
system software changes, etc.
5. Please estimate the percentages of the following
resources' times that are devoted to the soft-
ware maintenance functions listed in question
4. Please show a percentage for each item even
if it is zero.
A.
Personnel
Programmer/analyst
'r j%
(26-28)
Operations personnel
0 %
(29-31)
1
Administrative personnel
( %
(32-34)
Management personnel
%
(35-37)
B.
Hardware
CPU time
%
(38-40)
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 6. Are the applications programs in use at your
installation primarily business applications,
primarily scientific applications, or a mix-,j
ture of both business and scientific applica-
tions? (Please check only one.) (41)
7. Do most of the application programs in use at
your installation run in production for a year or
more before being discarded or replaced; do most
run for less than a year; is the number running for
a year or more about equal to the number that run
for less than a year? (Please'check only one.) (42)
1.
L/ Primarily business applications
1.
AiZI-Most run for a year or more
2.
primarily scientific applications
2.
/7 Most run for less than a year
3.
/~fJ A mixture of business and scientific
applications
3.
/ / About as many last a year or more as
last less than a year
4.
J / Other (Please describe.)
8. Next we are interested in the programming languages used in your installation. Please state for each of
the languages listed below the number of application programs in that language currently in use in your
installation and the average production life in years at your installation of the appli.Cation programs
in that language.
No. of programs
whose source code
is in the language
10/,0/ (43-47)
FORTRAN .~._. , ____/. ? (50-54
/+,/0/,0/%(57-60)
Average length of production
life, of programs in the
language rears
(63-66)
I // (67-68)
/ / / / / (F9-72)
- / /~ (73-74)
(5-8)
1(80)
Dupl (1-4)
/ / (9-10)
CMS--1/CMS-2
(11-14)
/ / / (15-16)
PASCAL
/ / / / / (17-20)
(21-22)
RPG
// / (23-~6)
1 //,..(27-28)_
LISP
/ (33-34)
/ (35-38)
(39-40)
GPSS
/ / (41-44)
/ (45-46) -
DYNAMO
/._/ (51-52)
SNOBOL
/ / / (53-56)
/ /
(57-58)
SCORE
__
/ / / / / (59-62)
(63-64)
EASY-TRIEVE
/ / / / / (65-68)
-. (69-70)
(71-74)
(75-76) ., w
DATA BASE LANGUAGES
(5-8)
.
2(80)
Dupl (1-4)
OTHER (Specify)
_.
(11-14) / (15-16)
Assembly Languages include BAL, EASYCODER, AUTOCODER, GMAP, COMPASS, etc.
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9, Please write in the age (i,e., how long it has been in production) of the aldest application program
in use at your installation. Write in your estimate.
_.~._ years (17-18)
0, In what language is the oldest application program in use at your
only one.)
COBOL 2. Lv ] Assembly language*
installation written? (Please check
(19)
3. /? FORTRAN 5. /TJ Other (Please specify.)
* ASSEMBLY LANGUAGES INCLUDE BAL, EASYCODER, AUTOCODER, GMAP, COMPASS, etc.
I. Which, if any, of the following software tools and
check all that apply.)
Tool
Automated documentation (20)
Source text manipulation (21)
Program optimization (22)
Aids built into compilers (23)
5. j= Special programming languages
compilers (24)
6. L Preprocessors (25)
7. L:7 Program performance evaluation (26)
Technic ua
Z=
= Performance documentation (30)
4. /r Embedded documentation (31)
5.
6.
LProgramming practices standards
(32)
L'''Re-use of already written code
(33)
7. i 7' Quality assurance organization/
management (34)
8. L"7 Design language (27) 8. Design (35)
Does your
to reduce
installation have
the machine costs
1. L Yes
2. =
9. ,L.,~ Programming organization/management (36)
on-going (regular
__ basis) effort to do optimization on application programs
running them? Pease check only one.) (37)
3. //v7 Not sure
Are cost accounting procedures in effect at your installation to capture personnel, hardware, and over-
head cost associated with application software maintenance as defined in this questionnaire? (Please
check on y one.) (38)
1. L Yes 2. ~,/ No 3. Not Not sure
If yes, are reports showing these costs regularly produced? (Please check only one.) (39)
1. / Yes 2. L= No 3. Z= Not applicable - no procedures
Please attach a sample sheet from such a report showing cost elements reported, if one is
available.
rt III Opinions and Views
Based upon your experience, do you believe that application software developed by contractors requires
more or less maintenance than application software developed in-house? (Please check only one.) (40)
1. L ::t Contractor-developed software requires more maintenance
Contractor-developed software requires about the same amount of maintenance
Contractor-developed software requires less maintenance
No opinion
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In your opinion, which, if any, of the follow-
ing actions would result in the greatest reduc-
tion in the size of the government's applications
software maintenance effort? (Please check o`lyl)
one.)
Better definition of user require-
ments in the system development stage
/ 1 Better definition of user require-
ments for modifications to existing
software
Use of software tools and techniques
in system development (structured
design, structured coding, etc.)
Providing better tools and techniques
for maintenance programmers (such as
interactive terminals, text editors,
and program analysis tools, etc.)
More thorough testing of applications
programs before the system is re-
leased to production
Eliminating unnecessary changes re-
quested by users
Nothing-such a reduction is not
possible
17. Does the definition of software maintenance used
in this questionnaire generally agree with youurr)
agency's definition?
1. / d:I Yes
2. /7 No
3. /_7 Not sure
18. If not, briefly state your agency's definitioon.
If you have any additional comments on any
of the questions in the questionnaire or on
any other aspect of software maintenance,
please provide them in the space below. If
you would prefer to convey your views separately,
please write:
Mr. John Womble
U. S. General Accounting Office
200 N. W. 5th, Room 348
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102
Dr. Steven Merritt
U. S. General Accounting office
441 G Street, N.W.
Washington, D. C. 20548
Attn: FGMSD, Room 6011
or cal]. them. Their telephone numbers are
listed on page 1 of the questionnaire. Thank
you for your cooperation.
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 Approved Fdf,Release 2001/08/07 : CIA-RDP84-009 000400020003-5
UNITED STATES GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE
1111.G STATINTL
October 23, 1979
Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely yours,
D. L. Scantlebury C
Director, Financial and General
Management Studies Division
Central Intelligence Agency
Proc. Div.
Washington, DC 20505
frc2 2 Non/
The U.S. General Accounting Office, an agency of the
Congress, is currently studying Federal agencies' management of
applications software maintenance. As part of our study we are
interested in learning of the extent and nature of software and
software maintenance at Federal data processing installations.
We would also like to obtain the views of knowledgeable Federal
data processing professionals on these subjects.
To obtain the needed information and views, we have
developed the enclosed questionnaire, which we would like to
have completed by ADP managers or senior level staff at your
installation.
Questionnaire responses will be reported in summary form.
Although we are requesting identifying information, we are
doing so solely to enable us to obtain clarifying information,
if necessary, and to supply copies of our report to those who
request them. Also, we may visit selected installations to
augment information on the questionnaire but our intent
nonetheless is to present all information obtained in summary
form.
We would very much appreciate it if you would return the
completed questionnaire in the enclosed envelope within 10
days. If you have any questions, please call Mr. John Womble
telephone number: [phone] or FTS 732-2223, or Dr.
Steven Merritt: [phone] or FTS 275-6187.
Approved For Release 2001/08/07 : CIA-RDP84-00933R000400020003-5
 Approved For Release 2001/08/07 : CIA-RDP84-00933R000400020003-5
TRANSMITTAL SLIP
J DATE
TO: D/ODP _ -i FLk /%g
ROOM NO.
BUJLDING
REMARKS:
z ?4- e- e-rt- ///2 $
FROM:
DD/A/ODP
ROOM NO.
2D42
Amommommi
FORM RM O.1)41 REPLACES FORM 36-9 FEB 55 WHICH MAY BE USED.
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