Science, government, and information: 1988 perspective

Area of Science:

• Information Science
• Science Policy
• Automation Impact

Background:

• The 1963 "Science, Government, and Information" report by the President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC) proposed key information system structures.
• The report recommended the establishment of Information Analysis Centers as central information hubs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of the 1963 "Science, Government, and Information" report's recommendations 25 years later.
• To analyze the shift in information management from recommended structures to dominant automation.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of information system recommendations from 1963 versus actual developments.
• Assessment of the role and impact of automation in scientific information dissemination.

Main Results:

• Information Analysis Centers, recommended in the 1963 report, did not become central to the information system.
• Automation, nascent in 1963, has become the dominant force in information management.
• Over-reliance on automation may impede information flow for activities prioritizing in-depth understanding over speed.

Conclusions:

• The predicted information infrastructure did not materialize as envisioned in the 1963 report.
• The rise of automation has reshaped scientific information systems, with potential drawbacks for deep scientific inquiry.
• Future information system design should balance automation with the need for thorough understanding in scientific research.