PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL SYSTEM (PROMACS) GLOSSARY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP73T00325R000100040005-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 16
• Document Creation Date: January 4, 2017
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: August 15, 1966
• Content Type: REPORT

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PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL SYSTEM
(PROMACS)
GLOSSARY
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Attached for your Yeview and information is the Production Management and '
Control System (PROMACS) Glossary. This glossary should be retained in your file
for future reference. It will be updated as needed. ----
FAC/jar
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1 Attachment '
ACD (3 copies)
ACOC (5 copies)
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PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL SYSTEM (PROMACS)
GLOSSARY
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t15 August 1966
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CONTENTS
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I. INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY 1
II. PROMACS SIGNIFICANT TERMS 3
III. ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF TERMS 4
BIBLIOGRAPHY ~ ~ 12 '
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I. INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY
A. Background
During the briefing of the 14 April 1966 PROMACS Progress Report conflicting
interpretations of terminology caused considerable discussion. It became
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apparent that a need existed to better define certain terms used in the Progress ~ ~~
Report. A request was made to the PROMACS development team to redefine these
terms and to review the report and develop definitions for any additional terms
which needed clarification. This glossary has been prepared in response to
that request.
B. Purpose
� The purpose of this glossary is to define selected terms used in the PROMACS
Progress Reports of 14 April and 1 August 1966. The terms selected are those
whose definition is considered basic to a clear understanding of the reports.
In selecting the terms it has been assumed that the reader has a basic under-
standing of the terminology iri general use at ACIC. For example, terms such as
"Format 6 of the CIP," "allocation of resources," and "N-7 report" have not been
included in the glossary.
The definitions will convey the intended meaning of the terms as used in
the Progress Reports. Where the intended meaning coincides with a definition
existing in one of the publications listed in the bibliography, the existing
definition is used. In some cases it has been necessary to change an existing
definition or to construct a definition in order to explain an intended meaning.
C. Organization
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The definitions are presented in Sections'II and III of this glossary.
Section II consists of a definition�of the terms Planning, Programming, Scheduling,
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and Controlling.. These terms have been extracted because of their special
significance to PROMACS. Section III is composed of the remaining terms
selected for clarification, and is arranged alphabetically.
Should the need arise to define additional terms this glossary will be
updated.
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' SECTION II
~ ~ PROMACS SIGNIFICANT TERMS
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Planning - The process of selecting and developing the best course of action
to accomplish an objective, encompassing all steps necessary to conduct a smooth
' operation and evaluate its contribution to the objective. In planning, the
manager visualizes and formulates what the operation is about, how it will be
conducted, and what it will contribute to broader objectives.
Programming - The process of determining requirements and allocating resources
on a time-phased basis to support programs, program changes, and operational
concepts of the USAF.
� Scheduling - Establishing the entire production sequence and subordinate
operations in a beginning-to-end relationship with regard to the availability
of men, machines, materials, and completion dates.
Controlling - The evaluation of over-all effectiveness of operations. The
process of ensuring operations stay within the established limits of procedural
policy which includes taking action when required to bring variant operations
into line and prevent future policy. deviations. �

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SECTION III
ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF TERMS
A
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Access, random - Pertaining to the process of obtaining data from, or placing
data into computer storage when there are no sequential .relations governing
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the access time to successive storage locations. Access time is independent
of the location of the information most recently placed in storage.
Authorizations (Manpower) - The number of approved positions for a specific
grade and skill required to accomplish a specific workload.
APPS - Automatic Photo-composition Placement System
B
I
� Batch Processing - A technique by which items to be processed must be coded
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and collected into groups prior to processing.
Boundary Conditions - Defined parameters specifying the limits within which a
problem solution has been~r~atricted,
C
Capability - The ability to execute a specified course of action.
Contract Dollars - The funds which are associated with the procurement of
the services of a commercial or government contractor.
COC - Complete Operational Capability - In the case of IDHS, COC is October 1969.
COBOL - Common Business Oriented Language, a type of computer programming language.
Constraint - Predetermined limits affecting a problems solution.
Critical Path - The longest path, in terms of weeks,, through a PERT network.
D
� Data - General term used to devote any or all facts, numbers, letters, and
symbols that refer to or describe an object, idea, condition, situation or
other factors. It connotes basic elements of information which can Be processed
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Data Element - A specific item of information appearing in a set of data.
S
Data Collection (gathering) Device - Electronic device used to input data to a
computer or an off-line storage station from a remote station.
Data Manipulation - Processing data, such as sorting, merging, adding, etc.
' Data Processing - The preparation of source media that contains data or basic:
elements of information, and the handling of such data according to precise
rules of procedure to accomplish such operations as classifying, sorting,
calculating, summarizing, and recording.
Degree of Difficulty - The relative complexity of a chart preparation as
compared to an average chart of the same series. The degree will be expressed
as a number (on a relative scale) and used as a multiplier against the standard
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� or average time to perform a step or steps in chart preparation to obtain ,.
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estimated time.
Division Procedures - Documents which supplement the Plant Manual by establishing
infra-division policies and operating procedures.
E
Equipment (Electronic Data Processing) - An electronic computer and component
equipment required to perform a complete data processing function.
Equipment (Peripheral) - Auxiliary machines which may be placed under the control
of the central computer, e.g., card readers, printers, magnetic tape feeds.
Equipment (Punched Card Accounting Machines) - Electrical, mechanical, or
electronic machines which primarily create punched cards or are actuated by
them to create additional records o~f this type and/or produce finished reports.
F
� Field Size (Length) - The number of characters required to record information.
On a punch card it refers to the number of columns. On a tape it refers to
the number of bit positions.
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Gantt Chart - A plot of a task to be accomplished against a time base. Commonly
known as a "bar chart.' -
Hardware - The physical equipment or devices forming a computer and peripheral
equipment. Contrasted with software.
I
� Information - A collection of facts or other data, especially that derived
from the processing of data.
Inquiry, Data Retrieval - A request for presentation of specific information
from data. files. The. information is presented as an extract of a data file
and is usually not a recurring report.
� IOC - Initial Operational Capability - Ir. the case of IDHS, IOC is October 1967.
J
Job I:oading - Allocation of manpower to individual production assignments by
organization and in consideration of the production sequence and completion
dates.
L
Linear Pro~rarnin~ - A mathematical technique for determining the best allocation
of limited resources to accomplish a desired objective. It presumes that the
variables of a problem are fairly constant and their values known, and that the
relationship among the variables represents a linear or stra:~ht line relation-
ship to one another.
M
Manager - An individual responsible for one or more of the following in carrying
� out the overall ACIC mission:
(1)a Planning, organizing and controlling use of men, money or material.
(2) Making decisions which have broad organizational impact.
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Management. Information System - A communications process in which data are
recorded and processed for operational purposes. The problems are isolated
for higher level decision making and information is fed back to top management
to reflect the progress or lack of progress made in achieving major objectives.
Master File - Synonymous with data base. '
Materials (Direct) - Materials whose use is specifically related to a job and
enter into the end product. These materials generally consist of the following
categories: photographic paper, film, map paper, plastics, and lithographic
plates.
Materials (Indirect) -Materials which are not 'easily associated with a particular
job, such as office supplies, inks used in chart construction, and photographic
chemicals.
Milestone - Distinct, objectively identifiable points which can be used as a
means of evaluating progress in terms of 'an estimated time schedule.
Model - Mathematical or logical representation of a system (or problem).
Model, Mathematical - The general characterization of a process, object, or
concept in terms of mathematics. This enables relatively simple manipulation
of variables to be accomplished, determining how the process, object, or concept
would behave in different situations.
a
Module - A combination of components, contained in one package. This combination
provides a complete function or functions to the subsystems in which they operate.
~Monte,Carlo Technique - An application of random sampling which simulates an
existing situation. This technique obtains approximate values for variables
in a model whenever a large number of variables are present whose interrelation-
. ships are too"complex to permit the determination of the values of such variables
by normal analytical methods. '

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Objective - A brief, concise statement of a goal representing a single attainment
of significant magnitude.
Off-Line Storage Terminal - Equipment not in direct communication with the
central processing unit of a computer but in direct communication with remote
communication equipment capable of receiving and storing information transmitted
from these remote stations for later use in computer processing.
On-Line- Pertaining to peripheral equipment or devices in direct communication
with the central processing unit of a computer.
Operational Directives - A series of documents which are used to make work
assignments to ACIC production elements, to define policies and establish
general procedures for accomplishing ACIC's primary mission.
� P
' Parameter - A characteristic element or an assigned constant factor.
Plan - A description of the method of accomplishing an objective showing the
major steps involved.
Planning Factor - A properly selected multiplier or value computed from program
information used in planning to estimate the amount and type of effort involved
in a contemplated operation. Planning factors are often expressed as rates,
ratios, or lengths of time.
Procedure - A prescribed way to take action to achieve a predetermined objective.
A precise step-by-step method for effecting a solution to a problem.
Process Definition - Detailed production steps and related resources ,required
to produce an ACIC product.
Production - The conversion of source materials into products. and/o~' components
� thereof, through a series of related work processes. This includes functions
of production engineering, controlling, quality assurance, and the determination
of resource requirements.
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Product (ACIC) - A product produced by ACIC components which has an ultimate
use by other than ACIC and which has been distributed to the user.
Production Commitment - Any action that commits the production of items at any
specific rate, by any given date, utilizing any particular capability in
accordance with any given specifications and quality standard.
Production Resources Information - A statement involving ACIC production
resources (manpower, equipment, and contract funds), including estimates of
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resources required in future production of specific items or programs, estimates
of production resources required for new work, manhour and calendar time
production standards, and completion dates on assigned projects or potential
a
assignments.
� Production Specifications - Documents which define the content, format, and
' graphic portrayal characteristics for ACIC end products.
program Manpower - A time-phased manpower plan reflecting distribution of manpower
resources by command, base; and unit allocated by Hq USAF.
Programming, Computer - Planning the complete sequence of machine instructions
and routines necessary to solve a problem by means of a computer. This may
involve, among other things, analysis of the problem, preparation of a flow
diagram, preparing details, testing and developing subroutines, allocation of
storage locations, specification of input and output formats, and the incorporation
of a computer run into a complete data processing system.
4
uer -See inquiry.
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� Real Time Processing - The processing of information or data in a sufficiently
rapid manner, usually within minutes, so that the results of the processing are
available in time to influence the process being monitored or controlled.
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Regression Formula - A mathematical expression depicting a linear or curvilinear
relationship such as y=a+bx+cx2. ~
Remote Communication Station - A piece of equipment located outside the general
area of a computer installation capable of transmitting information into or
receiving information from the computer installation area.
S
Sequential Access - The process of obtaining information from or placing
a
information into storage where the time required for such access is dependent
on the .necessity for waiting while nondesired storage locations are processed
in turn.
Simulation - Imitative type of data processing in which a computer is used to
� manipulate a mathematical model of some physical entity. Information enters
the computer to represent the factors entering the -real process, the computer
produces information that represents the results of the process and the processing
done by the computer represents the process itself.
Software - The package of programming support or utility routines which is
provided a given computer. This generally includes compilers, assemblers,
narrators, routines, and subroutines.
Source Materials - A collective term used to include aerial and ground still
photographs, radar scope photographs, maps, charts, geodetic control, gravity
data, intelligence reports, and air information data.
Standards - 1. An acceptable criterion or an established measure of performance,
practive or design.
2. The time required by a qualified worker, working at an average
. pace under average conditions, to perform a defined amount of work.

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Status - A brief statement on the progress of a plan, task, job, etc.
Sub-system - A self-sustained operating component of a system. �
System - An assembly of procedures, processes, methods, routines, techniques,
or sub-systems united by some form of regulated interaction to form an organized
whole.
Systems Analysis - An organized technique employing scientific methods in the
study of an activity, method, operation or organization. Each component or
sub-system is defined and studied in detail. Emphasis is placed on the integrated
relationships existing between the sub-systems to establish the proper functional
continuity toward the successful performance of the complete system in reaching
a defined goal.
� T
Theory, Queuing - A form of probability theory useful in studying delays or
line-ups at servicing points.
Time sharing - The use of a device for two or more purposes during the same
overall time interval, accomplished by interspersing component actions in time.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Department of the Air Force AFM 11-1, Air Force Glossary of Standardized Terms
and Definitions, Washington D.C., May 1965.
Glossary of Data Processing and Communications Terms, Honeywell Inc., Massachusetts,
April 1966.
Bureau of the Budget, Automatic Data Processing Glossary, Washington D.C.,
December 1962.
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