Program lists work structure of projects at all levels. System integrates work item, its schedule, its status against the schedule, responsible personnel, and explanatory comments. structure of MAPS promotes natural organization of project work elements, project features and uses are given

Packe, D. R.

Raffaeli, G. A.

English

Characteristics of computerized management analysis and planning system for planning and scheduling engineering project wor

NASA Technical Reports Server

MAPS - a computerized Management Analysis and Planning System

Packe, Donald R.

Raffaeli, Gil A.,
    joint author.

University of Michigan Library Repository

MAPS: a computerized management analysis and planning system /

August 1971	 Brief 71-10321 
.
NASA TECH BRIEF 
Lewis Research Center
	
_ilv 
NASA Tech Briefs announce new technology derived from the U.S. space program. They are issued to encourage 
commercial application. Tech Briefs are available on a subscription basis from the National Technical Information 
Service, Springfield, Virginia 22151. Requests for individual copies or questions relating to the. Tech Brief program may 
be directed to the Technology Utilization Office, NASA, Code KT, Washington, D.C. 20546. 
MAPS—A Computerized Management Analysis and Planning System 
S
MAPS provides managers of large technical 
projects with a fast and economical information 
system for planning and controlling their project. 
Input information on schedules and status is 
simultaneously submitted at all project levels and 
is automatically collated by the program, resulting 
in an easy-to-understand output. 
The MAPS program is in essence a computerized 
bar chart schedule reporting system in which the 
work structure of a project can be listed at all 
levels. This system integrates an item of work, 
its schedule, its status against the schedule, the 
person responsible for that item, and brief 
explanatory comments about the item. In addition, 
the relation of any single item to other items in 
the project is clearly shown by a hierarchy form of 
program organization. The structure of the MAPS 
program promotes a natural organization of all 
project work elements and can be used to control 
down to any level of detail desired. 
A key feature of the MAPS program is that 
each project work element can be keyed to a re-
sponsible individual. This is true at all levels of 
the work structure. The program can give each 
individual a condensed listing on a item-by-item 
basis of the project work elements in his area of 
responsibility; thus, each individual can see exactly 
what his project role is and what schedule demands 
he is working against. This listing is also helpful 
to management in reviewing manpower require-
ments and loading. 
Another key feature is that the MAPS system 
is written for fast updating. Thus, management
review can always be conducted with up-to-date 
information. The program has been found most 
effective when used in conjunction with a biweekly 
management review meeting; the printouts serving 
as both information and as a format from which 
to conduct the meeting. In the printouts, all new 
or updated information is identified as a change 
from the previous plan or schedule, which can 
be used as an exception reporting system. The 
information on the progress of each project 
element can be maintained on an exception re-
porting basis by individuals who are responsible 
for each work element listed. 
Finally, the MAPS program is a resource saving 
tool. Experience to date on an R&D project 
involving over 100 professional personnel has shown 
that MAPS can be maintained on a detailed level 
by one operator utilizing about one-fourth of his 
time. The MAPS program is written so that no 
prior computer experience is required for an operator 
to effectively implement and maintain project 
computerized outputs. 
MAPS has been specifically designed for planning 
and scheduling engineering project work; however, 
its flexible format capability permits a variety 
of other uses such as manpower and budget plan-
ning, configuration control, engineering work 
orders, drawing lists, parts lists, and others. 
Notes: 
1. This program is written in FORTRAN IV lan-
guage and is currently being run on an IBM 7094 
computer.
(continued overleaf) 
This documetct was prepared under the sponsorship of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Neither the United States 
Government nor any person acting on behalf of the United States
Government assumes any liability resulting from the use of the 
information contained in this document, or warrants that such use 
will be free from privately owned rights.
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19710000319 2020-03-17T02:21:16+00:00Z
2. Requests for further information may be directed
	 3. Requests for the computer program and docu-
to:	 mentation may be directed to: 
	
Technology Utilization 	 Officer	 COSMIC 
	
Lewis Research Center
	 Barrow Hall 
	
21000 Brookpark Road	 University of Georgia 
	
Cleveland, Ohio 44135
	 Athens, Georgia 30601 
	
Reference: B71-10321
	 Reference: B71-10321 
Patent status: 
No patent action is contemplated by NASA. 
Source: Donald R. Packe and Gil A. Raffaeli

Lewis Research Center

(LE W-1 1349)
S 
S 
Brief 71-10321	 Category 09


MAPS - a computerized management analysis and planning system

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