OUTLINE FOR TALK ON RECORDS MANAGEMENT TO THE SUPPORT SERVICES COURSE FOR DDS JOT'S

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP70-00211R000500050016-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 17
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 14, 2005
• Sequence Number: 16
• Publication Date: October 29, 1965
• Content Type: OUTLINE

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OUTLINE FOR TALC ON RECORDS MANAGEM T TO THE SUPPORT SERVICES CWRSE
FOR DDS JOT'S
8:30 A.M., 29 October 1965, at Room 803 Glebe Building
Good morning.
I am pleased that
has asked me to speak to you, ladies and
gentlemen who are earmarked for top level managerial positions in the Support
Directorate. This privilege is particularly pleasing because I have an
opportunity to renew acquaintances with some old friends here and a chance to
meet new people. As a result, I hope that we can exchange ideas and develop
some new ways to solve an old problem - how to manage records.
allotted eight hours for our presentation to the class of DDS
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JOT'S in February. Today we have one hour. This is comparable to the experience
of the mosquito who landed in a nudist camp and said., "There's so much to cover,
I don't know where to start."
I want to talk to you this morning about what is probably the most un-
romantic subject in the world - paperwork - more conventionally called Records
Management.
Records Management has been the object of great concern to five Presidents
of the United States - Taft, Theodore Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, and
Johnson. Each of these Presidents established a special task force, appointed
special commissions, proposed specific legislation or introduced other special
methods to curb Federal paperwork. Why has this been necessary? Because
Records Management or Paperwork Management requires the expenditure of so much
money and requires so many people . ILL- I 1.
In 1954, Tax Payers of this country were spendlag more than Four
Billion Dollars for Paperwork in the Federal Government. This Paperwork
required 750,000 full-time workers occupying space equivalent to 36 Empire
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action of the President has already produced savings of $2,100,000 for the
get rid of paper by retirement to Records Centers or oy ?
This condition also exists to &- in large induhtrial
concerns. Here is what J. Paul Getty, recognized as the World's Richest
Man had to say about Paperwork: "To my mind one of the really serious
wrongs in American business today is the penchant for wallowing in welters
of paperwork. Some companies have literally hundreds of people keeping
records on each other and passing office memorandums back and forth. Many
times there appears to be more memo writers, filers, and readers than
productive workers. The cost of this over-administration is staggering,
not only in salaries paid to paper shufflers, but in the general slow-down
this experience recently to a Management Symposium in Beverly sills, California:
"The Department of Air Force's recent request for a proposal from industry
exceeded 1500 pages. In reply, five competitors sent in an aggregate of
240,000 pages not counting any copies. When 30 copies of each proposal were
made, the total weight was 35 tons; and it took over 400 Air Force personnel
five months to read and evaluate this data." How much time and money do you
imagine this cost t h e Air Force? 1 _ ~ A , } +! 6,v~'1`F `'4 ez IS o - , Y r s A S ,'W
Federal Government. We, too, have profited by:
",w 3a e ~+ - o d ~.~ti - ' f~ sly s ~4.
These conomie are not the result of a sporadic effort to make a good
shoving because of President Johnson's moratorium. Our success is attributed
primarily to the fact that we have over a period of 14 years developed an
integrated system to cope with all kinds of Records Management problems. I a ,
n that we in CIA are recognized to
have one of the mat effective Records Management programs in the Federal
Government. This recognition is attributed primarily to the fact that our
E n ,TIFIG 9,485 CUBIC !HET QF' RECORDS BY DESTRUCTION OR RMT AI. ~ ` eZ1%6_
E
and REL ABI'! G 238 PIES of FILIAG EQfftPMT - Valued at $56,647.
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(a
current illustration. Assistant Air Force Secretary Robert H. Charles gave
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program includes all the recognized elements of a professional Records
Management Program. As a result, CIA has saved over $15,000,000 by using
records management techniques.
The basic Records Management policies of the Agency are included in
which each of you received, this morning.
In addition to this regulation, we have published handbooks and procedres
containing guides and procedures.
Our program is decentralized. Each Deputy Director is responsible
for establishing a Records Management Program and designating a person
to operate it. The Records Administration Staff furnishes guidance,
assistance and coordinates the program. We develop standards, policies,
and procedures. We also make surveys and audits; and we operate the Agency
Archives and Records Center.
Before I discuss these policies and standards I want to ask and
answer these 5 questions.
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First % Y SHOULD YOU BE INTERESTED m RECORDS MANAGED' Mi Because as
a tax payer you help to pay the cost of creating and maintaining records.
In our agency it costs 11 million dollars to kep our records for just one
year. You were selected for this program because your talents are needed
to assist top management in solving problems. This is an opportunity,
therefore, for you to learn how the Records Management technique can assist
you in your future assignments.
Second WHAT IS RECCRDS MANAGEMENT? Records Management is a specialized
profession dealing with problems and practices of paper work. Basically,
it is a management improvement program. Its objective is economy in office
operations. It is concerned with the entire life cycle of records from
creation to cremation. Originally, Records Management was primarily con-
cerned with the disposition phases of records; also, it was concerned with
the arrangement of paper. As a result of these two limited considerations,
a negative and narrow view of Records Management predominated. Today we have
a positive viewpoint which includes paper work, punch cards, magnetic and
paper tapes and photographic reproductions.
Records Management is emerging as a recognized profession. There are
now three professional societies--AREA, ARMA and SAA. Recently another
professional organization, The Administrative Management Society sponsored
the first awards for excellence in paperwork management in the S3ederal
Government. Here is what the International President of this Society, Mr.
J. B. Poole, had to say when making these awards on 28 September 1965 at
the Shoreham Hotel here in Washington:
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"I wish to extend our appreciation to the President of the United
States for the outstanding leadership he has provided through the War
on Waste. The tremendous emphasis in government and business in recent
years concerning the need for improved paperwork management is sufficient
evidence of the growing importance of these things to successful and
economical government and business operations. If, through these awards,
AMS can focus on those whose professional management achievements have
been outstanding, and in so doing inspire others to similar achievements
in both the government and business sectors, then our professional purpose
will have been achieeed."
Both government and industry depend upon the professional records
manager to help solve their paper work problems. Here is an article from
ch indicates how large industrial
concerns use records management e$perts.
This agency has professional people to assist them in Records
Management problems too. Selected personnel have been trained in records
management techniques at American Un iversity, the graduate school at the
Department of Agriculture, the AMA and GSA.
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~-- Wjy DO WR RB01 3 b~AI~~G '?
TO SAVE MA1TP(J eliminating records no longsr needed for daily use
reduces filing and finding time. The time of personnel needed to service
an accumulation of paper can be reduced and used for other purposes.
TO SAVE SPACE--CIA records require over 200,000 square feet of office
space. Office space is still scarce, and we are expanding into three new
buildings in the Rosslyn area to compensate for this shortage in the head-
quarter's building.
TO CONTROL GROWTH--We create about 200 million pieces of paper a year--
the equivalent of about 12,500 safes. We also cwt a lot of paper--about
million pieces last year. One new office in the agency created and collected
This kind of growth to
over 28 million pieces of paper in one year
%nol be controlled.
TO COMPLY WITH THE IAW--The Federal Records Act, Public Law 754, pre-
scribes standards for this agency and all Federal agencies to follow.
TO PROTECT IlIPO PANT RECCtDS--This phase of Records Management is con-
cerned with the identification and dispersal of those records which are needed
to reconstruct our operations in the event that current papers are destroyed
as a result of disaster.
TO SAVE MONEY--The paper we create and keep costs about $109 milion ~~ ~z = e,
thing--can-'be reduced? President Johnson on July 15 this year
called to the attention of the Cabinet the need to continue cost reduction
programs and he particularly stressed the need to eliminate unnecessary
paperwork.
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WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR RECCM MAM ?
Ai ISTR TOR OF GSA. He publishes regulations and standards and
audits agency programs. NO also operates all Federal records centers and.
the National Archives.
THE DIRECTOR OF CIA. He is required by The Federal Records Act to
maintain a Records Management program in accordance with GSA standards. The
General Counsel of our agency says that we must comply with the law and
these regulations.
EACH DEPt ! Dom. Required to establish a program as outlined in
appoint a person to carry out the program.
CIA RECORDS OFFICER. Agency wide operation and coordination. Standards
i= INCLUDED IN RECORDS MAFAGEMENT? We are concerned
with managing records in all phases--while they are being made, while they
are being used and in their final stages of preservation or destruction.
specifically, we are concerned with forma, r sand correspondence; filing
Mtems., filing egiipment, vital records; records disposition and the 9pera-
tion of an archives and records center. Let's see how each of these elements
can be used to improve office efficiency.
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MANAGED T. What Is Forms Management? SLIDE #1
Forms are probably the most widely used type of records.
Forms are here to stay. Our actions are controlled and regulated by
forms from the time that we are born until we die. SLIDE #2. Our actions
are guided by forms, but they do not re form the actions. SLIDE #3. This
requires a machine and a human being. Despite this limitation, forms are
the backbone of procedures.
Properly used forms produce dramatic savings in money, manpower and
materials. Our cumulative savings from forms management amount to $759,
through improved operating procedures, less copies and easier to fill in
and use forms.
Here are some of the things that we are concerned with in good forms
management--
GOOD DESIGN - SLIME # --Easy to fill out by hand or typewriter--this
saves time. Here is a good, illustration - The Domestic Travel Order - Form
5b was designed several years ago by a committee they sent it directly
to Printing Services without our approval and insisted that it be printed
exactly as they developed it. This was done but due to, improper design the
form could not be used in a typewriter because of improper spacing - SLIDE #5.
The stock had to be destroyed and we were asked to redesign it.
THE RIGEM SIZE - SLIDE #6 --must fit standard equipment and machines.
Here is an actual illustration of how the wrong size created a serious problem
for one office. "Two of our most widely used forms were designed to fit a long-
carriage typewriter. WHI? No one considered the size of the form, just the
data that was needed or data they thought they needed. The Forms were printed
(costing well over $10,000) and then a little error was discovered by the
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originating office, the forms were too wide to fit in normal typewriter
carriages. So what., you say, "Let them get wide-carriage typewriters."
Just consider the cost to furnish long carriage typewriters AROUND THE
WORLD. The agency, of course, does not stock long carriage typewriters
which meant we *ulJJ have to go out and buy them and ship them.
Finally, the problem was solve the forms were re-designed, printed,
and re-distributed around the world. But at what expense? Well, the most
obvious one was the destruction of forms costing more than $10,000."
Today we have 2,417 official forms. These are for agency-wide use and
ILLEGIB
they concern almost every conceivable function. Despite this, we find from
our surveys that there are ten unofficial or bootleg forms for every official
form. SLIDE #7.
CIA forms,cause{"about 52 million pieces of paper to be created every
-year. Last year we spent about' $300-,000 just to print them. SLIDE #F3.
Printing costs are apparent. The hidden costs are concerned with processing,
filing and later disposing of them. Based on standards used by government
and industry, the total cost of printing and processing our forms last year
amounted to about $6 million. SLIDE #9
TURN C97 PROJECTM
This is an area where you can be particularly helpful. You can be con-
cerned with forms every day regardless of your assignment. Some people consider
a new form as harmless as an empty gun. It would be smarter to recognize it
as a potential bomb. You can help by avoiding bootleg forms - eliminating
obsolete d?Fficiaal forms - avoi4 hoarding and, Use the Forms Catalog.
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REPOTS MA AGII .'. A report is any cee solidateed or narrative informa-
tion in graphic, tabular, or textual format raquire&-by-vne_~ar, zat# v*1
el o1e_other organizaticener1-`si nts for the purpose of
PTA'
f o r m i n g policy, controlling operationsfevaluating performance, o
n.
Reports operations constitute about l/Ith of the total cost of paperwokk
management. individual reports often cost many mandays, some many manyears.
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An average combat division of todays arj Yr may e nd as much as 90 mernyears
annually in compiling reports.
Reports, most will concede, are a two-sided coin. They can and do serve
an invaluable management function when well conceived. As such, they con-
tribute to timely and proper decisions and tooordination of overall
organizational effort. The results are efficient and effective operations
which add up to money on the credit side of the ledger.
The obverse aide of the coin, on the other hand, reflects those report-
ing requirements which confuse and perplex not only the ones required to
prepare them, but those who receive and mot interpret them. These are the
reports which serve no useful purpose and consume the time of those involved.
In short, they add considerable red ink to the ledger.
Reports create large volumes of paper. Last year more than 12 million
pieces were created in our agency from reports. These reports are costly,
too. Last year we spent about $30 million for them.
We have not done as much in reports management as we should. I an con-
vinced, however, that we must get busy because the increased use of computers
makes it too easy to get a report. Computers can produce about 100 cubic
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feet of paper a day in contrast to about an inch a day by typewriter.
We know that reports nanagement is a profitable area--a survey several
years ago produced savings of $25,000 for an investment of about $500 in
time. The Office of Logistics and the Office of Communications are now
beginning a Reports Management program. Here is a current illustration of
how the Office of Training has begun to improve its reports. This change
concerns you and all students who complete any OTR sponsored programs.
Effective the l8th of October, the Director of Training issued an official
notice to all instructors that henceforth they would, prepare only the
original and one copy of training reports, formerly as many as five copies
were used. This was accomplished by changing the routing of the report
to the Office of Personnel and to others who have a need to see it but do
not need to keep it. You can help - avoid requesting new ones - do not keep
your name on distribution unless essential - destroy rather than keep copies.
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CC>PC ENCE MARAGEMM. This U.,a neglected phase of Records
Management. Many pieces of mail are hard to understand and require additional
correspondence before it can be properly processed. Routine correspondence
in many instances is reviewed at too high a level in the organization; and
as a result, unnecessary paper work is required by top level executives.
In. correspondence management we are primarily concerned with standard
practices for the preparation of mail so that we can get quality work at
lower cost. Our efforts in correspondence management have included these
projects--
An agency-wide Correspondence Handbook.
Form and Guide letters.
One of the best ways to economize in the correspondence area is to use
form letters. A one page dictated letter costs b a one page form letter
coats,2.Srd&w4 . I don't like form letters any better than anyone else, but
the well-designed and properly organized form letter is acceptable. As a
matter of fact.. Z-find-that industry is using it to a greater extent than
government. We have been quite successful in the use of a modified form
letter called "speed letter". Here is how it works. The speed letter con-
gists of three sheets of paper on NCR stock. With one writing, we prepare
an original and two copies. The originating office sends the original and
one copy forward and keeps the third copy for follow-up. The receiving office
replies on the bottom of the first and the second copy. They keep one and
send one forward. The originating office then destroys its follow-up file.
The result is we have the request and the answer on the same piece of paper.
This technique is being followed in the Office of Legistica, Contact Services,
Office of Security, and NPIC. It saves a lot of time and money.
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Probably the beat idea in correspondence management is to delegate
authority to the proper level for preparation, review and signature. This
eliminates wasted time and unnecessary reviews.
Correspondence creates about 8 million pieces of paper a year in CIA,
and it costs us about $20 million. Regardless of what your future assign-
ment will be, it will include correspondence. Here is an area where you
can be particularly helpful in reducing costs. You can use form letters -
omit transmittal memos - reduce copies.,-
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VITAL RECORAS. This program is concerned with identifying records
essential for the continued operations of our agency in event of an emergency
or for reconstruction in the event that headquarter's offices are eliminated
by enemy attack. A vital records program should not be a scheme to select
paper and put it in a deep freeze. It can be a catalyst to the development
of an entire management information system.
Vital Records Deposit Schedules are the primary medium for the identi-
fication and operation of our program. I want to emphasize that the papers
we select as vital are current papers not historical or inactive ones. We
have a very active vital records program. I have an opportunity to compare
it with others in government and industry, and I am sure that we are on the
right track. Our vital records are about 3.3 percent of our total holdings.
This compares favorably with the suggested ratio of about 2 percent recom-
y ~ You can help by seeing
mended by the National Records Management Council.
that deposits are made according to schedule.
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FILING SYSTEMS AND EQUIPM'OT. In this area we are concerned with systems
for the arrangement of papers so that they can be easily found; the storage
of papers in the proper type of equipment, and the use of the right kind of
filing supplies. We have developed standards for each one of these areas.
UNIFORM FI LII' 1 SYSM--Sub ject-Numeric. for administrative and, operational
uses. I I Here is how you can do it
(Hand out--How to Convert to Subject Numeric).
STANDARD EQUIPMENT --safes and filing cabinets -- in 1952 about 17 types,
today 6 types. In 1952, 54 types of file folders, today 9. As a result
of this, standardization, procurement, and supply costs are substantially
reduced.
SPECIAL EQUIP--Shelf files save space, time and money. Our savings
about $500,000. Roll-out shelf files- conservamatic files--N'o-Walk files,
Motorized files. --(Use Slides for these). Describe advantages --compare
cost of filing in shelf files versus filing in safes.
Filing
Inches
Cost
Inch'
Space
Required
Equiv.
Safes
Two Drawer Safe
50
6.94
10 sq. ft
Four Drawer Safe
100
5.37
10 " to
Shelf File-Seven High
247
.68
6" 11
2J
Shelf File 114 Tiers
1008
3.142
36 to to
10
Rollout Shelving
235
1.00
114 it It
Conserve-File V-Shelving
705
.88
36 to
7
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RECORDS DISPOSITION. This is probably the most productive element in
the entire Records Management program. It is also the most difficult phase
of our business because it requires us to make up our minds on what to keep
and what to destroy. We cannot keep everything and we must not destroy
everything. There are, however, certain recognized professional standards
to guide us. They concern legal values, historical values and administra-
tive values. A general guide we use in the retirement of records is this--
If records are not referred to more frequently than once per file drawer per
month, they should be removed to the Records Center.
Our records disposition program has provided tangible savings of almost
$10 million. In each Records Management survey, we usually expect that in
the initial phases of inventoring and scheduling weyl destroy 30 percent
of the records, retire 1,0 percent now or later and keep 30 percent in offices.
It is cheaper to keep paper in a records center facility than in any
office building. Here are the relative costs for one-half of a file drawer.
Store & Service Store
In the Office - 55.98 6.21,
In the Records Center - 1.75 .4+2
facility was constructed especially for secure and efficient storage of
paper. We have special controls for temperature and humidity. We have also
provided special security features. Inactive records can be retrieved from
the center by any agency office in a few hours.
You can help by:
1. Seeing that your records are scheduled
2. Following schedule
has arranged for you to see our Records Center later. This
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One of our top scientists, Dr. VonBraun, when asked about the progress
that we are making in space said, "We have conquered most of the problems
in gravity, and we will reach the moon if the paper work doesn't hold us
down "
President Johnson told his cabinet recently, "Cut out excessive paper
work. It breeds overstaffing." Continuing the President said., "I want you
to give as much attention to management as you do to your operating pro-
-agrams." In+i.ent-17.y~ Sher ~?resi~ent' s ge s rt~ir
~g ieu i era wed - iaemt- of, th& Nat nag. a cards Atmafe -
~e tr'E il--V tied-the -?New - SciOndi of Radards-l gemebt."
i have given you a brief outline of Records Management,. and my experi-
ence in dealing with Records Management problems in CIA for 14 years. I
have shown you some of the results from the application of paper work
management techniques. I hope that you can use these in your future assigm-
ments.
I have enjoyed this discussion with you this morning; and if you have
questions, I will be glad to answer them.
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