Records Filing, Maintenance and Disposition Study for Department of the Army
Abstract
This report is in Staff Study format with a short management summary preceding the main study. The body of the study covers only the main points and ideas. Development is contained in tabbed appendices. The Army Functional File System (TAFFS) is institutionalized in Army Regulations 340-1 and 340-18-1 thru 340-18-16. It was developed in the later 1950's; implemented in 1963; and received major refinement in 1969. It replaced a subject file system with functional system which included a comprehensive disposition system. The development of office technology eroded the usefulness of TAFFS although a manual file system must be the mainstay of the Army of years to come. The Study infers that TAFFS should be replaced because it (1) does not lend itself to automation; (2) possesses major flaws in its management support characteristics; and (3) is not a good wartime system. Army Records Management Officials do not fully agree with this assessment. The Contractor suggests that in replacing TAFFS the Army should position itself to adopt such state-of-the-art developments as it finds useful and cost effective and install a simpler more management oriented manual system for immediate interim use. To accomplish this, Calculon maintains that a first order of business is to develop a simpler information classification system. A subjective or functional subjective system which eliminated the complexity of TAFFS is advisable. The Contractor recommends testing over 18 months two groups of subsystems and concepts. One is a conservative test based on a simplified TAFFS; and, the other is innovative, based on a long standing Army subjective classification system used to classify and number Army regulations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 30, 1981
- Accession Number
- ADA107079
Entities
People
- John R. Maher