Guide to the Burt Grad General Electric and IBM records
Finding aid prepared by Adrienne Harling and Sara Chabino Lott
Processing of this collection was made possible through generous funding from the Computer History Museum’s Software Industry
Special Interest Group.
Computer History Museum
1401 N. Shoreline Blvd.
Mountain View, CA, 94043
(650) 810-1010
research@computerhistory.org
August 2016
Title: Burt Grad General Electric and IBM records
Identifier/Call Number: X6906.2014
Contributing Institution:
Computer History Museum
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
4.17 Linear feet,
3 record cartons and 1 manuscript box
Date (inclusive): 1949-1978
Abstract: This collection contains records from Burt Grad’s work with General Electric and IBM from 1949-1978. Grad did substantial
work on factory automation and business systems management, reflected in large projects called the Integrated Systems Project
(ISP) and the Study Organization Plan (SOP), both documented in this collection. The collection also contains content about
decision tables – a tool Grad developed to map cause-and-effect logic for systems programming purposes. Additional areas of
interest include Grad’s work on Application System Development Method (ASDM), factory simulation models, the Productron computer,
TABSOL software for automation of decision tables, and more. Materials consist primarily of technical reports and notes, correspondence,
manuals and marketing materials for products, and some articles.
creator:
Grad, Burton
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
The Computer History Museum (CHM) can only claim physical ownership of the collection. Users are responsible for satisfying
any claims of the copyright holder. Requests for copying and permission to publish, quote, or reproduce any portion of the
Computer History Museum’s collection must be obtained jointly from both the copyright holder (if applicable) and the Computer
History Museum.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of Item], [Date], Burt Grad General Electric and IBM records, Lot X6906.2014, Box [#], Folder [#], Catalog
[#], Computer History Museum.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Burt Grad, 2014.
Processing Information
Burt Grad, Carol Anne Ances, Doug Jerger and the SI SIG inventoried this collection and additional Burt Grad materials (see
also X7213.2014) in December, 2008, as part of the donation process. Additionally, an item level listing of materials within
folders of this collection was also provided (no author or date indicated). Both inventories were used during processing to
restore original order, and descriptive information from the item-level inventory was included in catalog records where applicable.
Biographical/Historical Note
Burton (Burt) Grad was born in 1928 in Philadelphia, where his mother and her family had emigrated from the Ukraine in 1914.
In 1932, Grad’s family moved from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C., where he completed high school. He then received a Bachelor
of Management Engineering degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, in 1949.
Grad worked for General Electric (GE) from 1949 to 1960. He started in the Manufacturing Training Program, followed by a position
in the Production Control department of the Large Steam Turbine Division. There, Grad used International Business Machines
(IBM) punched card machines and plug boards to help set up manufacturing control applications. He went on to work with the
Corporate Production Control Services department in New York City, where he programmed a Univac I computer for use at the
Dishwasher and Disposal Department in Louisville, Kentucky. Grad also led a factory simulation project, designed the Productron
computer, and helped a variety of GE manufacturing departments implement computer automation for production and inventory
control.
Starting in late 1957, Grad started the Integrated Systems Project (ISP) which was aimed at automating the complete information
flow in a factory. Initially the project was at the 39 Frame Motor plant in Ft. Wayne, Indiana where he developed the concept
of decision tables, which was a method of documenting cause/effect logic. The Computer Usage Company (CUC) wrote a computer
program called TABSOL for GE that would interpret and run the decision tables.
When the 39 Frame motor project was terminated for budget reasons, Grad was able to initiate an expanded ISP effort at a meter
plant in Lynn, Massachusetts. The results demonstrated the potential to increase efficiency and profit margin for GE through
both information and factory operation automation; however, upper management in GE was not prepared to build or restructure
a plant based on the Integrated Systems Project approach or in permitting him to publish the study results. Quite frustrated,
Grad left GE and went to work for IBM in 1960.
Shortly after Grad started with IBM he became a project manager in the Data Processing Division in White Plains, New York
leading the Study Organization Plan (SOP) project. SOP was related to the ISP work, but was focused on a general approach
to developing integrated information systems for any business. With IBM support, Management Systems was published by Holt,
Rinehart and Winston in 1968 (authors: Thomas B. Glans, Burton Grad, David Holstein, William E. Myers, and Richard N. Schmidt).
Grad was the Data Processing Division’s representative on IBM’s three-member team that was part of the Unbundling Task Force;
they were responsible for planning the announcement of separately priced software in 1969. The Data Processing Division was
then made responsible for developing and marketing the application software products for mainframe computers and Grad was
named as one of the directors of development for FICUT, one of four industry groups within the Data Processing Division (FICUT
stood for financial, insurance, communications, utilities, transportation). Grad worked in software development in the Data
Processing Division until the mid-1970s, when he moved to IBM Research where he arranged support for Harry Markowitz’s work
on a simulation-related program called EAS-E and worked on providing a comprehensive survey of application development methodology
programs and tools in IBM.
Starting in the early 1970s, Grad served as a representative for IBM at ADAPSO, the computer software and services trade association;
he was active within the Software Industry Association section. Grad served on numerous committees at ADAPSO in the 1970s
and 1980s, including the Technical Information Service Committee.
In 1978, Grad left IBM and started his own consulting firm, Burton Grad Associates, Inc. Leveraging the relationships with
software companies that he had developed through ADAPSO, he helped clients with strategic planning, organizational consulting,
due diligence studies, and valuation studies. In the 2000s, Grad’s consulting work slowed down and he spent more time in collecting
and preserving software industry historical records for the Software History Center, which Luanne Johnson and he had co-founded
in 2000. Grad then served as co-chair with Johnson of the Software Industry Special Interest Group (SI SIG) at the Computer
History Museum. He currently lives in Westport, Connecticut.
Scope and Content of the Collection
The Burt Grad General Electric and IBM records consist of materials collected by Burt Grad during his career at General Electric
and IBM from 1949-1978. The records include technical documentation of and research informing Grad’s work on specific projects
at both companies, especially focused on factory automation and the integration of systems across departments in factories
and offices. These projects include, but are not limited to, the Integrated Systems Project (ISP) at General Electric and
the Study Organization Plan (SOP) at IBM.
The use of decision tables as a tool for both automation and system integration are well documented in this collection. Materials
about software products such as TABSOL that were developed for automation of decision tables are also represented. Some materials
pertain to the use of early computer hardware in factory settings, and early software development.
A significant amount of materials in the collection are technical notes and reports authored or co-authored by Grad. There
are also correspondence, memoranda, and handwritten notes relating to the projects Grad was involved in. Some articles, manuals
and promotional materials for software and hardware products are also in the collection.
The series are arranged in their original order. Folders within series are arranged chronologically except for subseries 3.1,
which is arranged alphabetically.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into 3 series:
Series 1, General Electric records, 1949-1962
Series 2, Special Projects, 1957-1977
Series 3, International Business Machines records, 1960-1978
Related Collections at CHM
Burton Grad and Associates, Inc. records, Lot X7213.2014, catalog number.
Grad, Burt (Burton) oral history : General Electric Years, Lot X4362.2008, catalog number 102702248.
Grad, Burt (Burton) oral history : International Business Machines (IBM), Lot X4362.2008, catalog number 102701925.
Grad, Burt (Burton) oral history : Burton Grad Associates, Inc., Lot X4362.2008, catalog number 102746731.
Grad, Burt (Burton) oral history : history and education, ADAPSO, Heights Information Technology Services, and Customer Care,
Inc., Lot X4362.2008, catalog number 102701924
Grad, Burton and Hugh Williams oral history, Lot X4562.2008, catalog number 102658225.
Related Collections at Other Repositories
University of Minnesota, Charles Babbage Institute, Burt Grad IBM and ADAPSO materials. Unprocessed.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Grad, Burton
Automation in manufacturing
Computer software--Development
Decision logic tables
General Electric Company
International Business Machines Corporation
General Electric records, Series 1,
1949-1962
Language of Material:
English
Series Scope and Content
The materials in this series include documentation of Grad’s work at General Electric. Technical notes and reports (many authored
by Grad), handwritten notes, correspondence, and product materials are represented in the collection. Examples of materials
in this series include Grad’s recognition for a suggestion he made for making a rubber testing process more efficient when
he was in the Manufacturing Training Program, materials relating to Grad’s work on automation of assignment vouchers to factory
workers, more general automation of factory planning, scheduling, and manufacturing control, and the Integrated Systems Project
(ISP). This series is arranged chronologically.
102726489
Suggestion acknowledgment re: valve test equipment
1949
102726487
The choice of lot inspection plans on the basis of cost
1949-03-12
102726488
A report on the control station in the Works Laboratory of the Bridgeport Works
1949-05-09
102726490
Overdue E-3 cage orders
1949-1950
102726486
Productron analog computer
1950; 1955; 1957; 1959
102726536
Personal folder
1951; 1954-1955; 1958-1960
102726491
The derivation and use of an economical order quantity formula
1953
102726534
Punched card stock control system for batch type operation
1953-12-22
102726493
Bin reserve
1954-03-11
102726492
Economic ordering quantity guide
1954-12
102726527
Ideas folder
1954; 1956-1957; 1959
102726483
Reference book on production control services projects
1954; 1957; 1959-1961
102726494
Transformer slitting problem
1955
102726496
Fiscal week dating plan using GE calendar
1955-03-31
102726495
The lowly voucher - dated and updated
1955-08-02
102726497
Warehouse stock reporting and analysis project
1955-12-22
102726498
Dynamic production scheduling
1955-04
102726502
Association Island : 1956 conference
1956
102726485
Warehouse stock control workshop report
1956-02-15
102726500
First Productron installation scheduled
1956-03
102726541
Memos from E.G. Cox to W.B. Pomeroy regarding warehouse inventory tape transactions
1956-04
102726501
Warehouse project : coding of transactions
1956-06-27
102726542
GE apparatus sales division registration form
1957
102726539
Inventory control via IDP
1957
102726504
Modern materials handling special report : how to plan receiving operations (parts 1 and
2)
1957
102726538
39 frame systems project IBM
1957-01-14
102726503
Production control information letter (pro & con features)
1957-1958; 1961
102726507
Abstract formulation of data processing problems
1958
102726537
An approach to operations structure
1958
102726505
Simulation project folder
1958
102726506
A standardized representation for business problems
1958-03
102726509
Operations research & synthesis : project report no. 70 : mechanized budget system
1958-06-01
102726508
Tempo report : characteristics of optimum inventory policies
1958-11-10
102726524
Information process analysis
1959
102726510
Engineering computer user symposium registrants
1959-05-19
102726517
Laminar bucket program : an application of logic table techniques
1959-09-21
102726512
General Electric parts list form
1959-10-06
102726519
Some factory aspects of warehousing : distribution systems project
1959-10-16
102726515
Clearinghouse report : medium transformer department computer applications
1959-12-01
102726516
Integrated Systems Project report : information process charting and physical operation flow
charting
1959-12-31
102726518
TABSOL release folder
1959-1960
102726514
Documentation techniques survey
1959; 1961
102726532
Burt Grad resume (before IBM)
ca. 1959
102726543
Design structure tables for SE incoming line switches
1960-01-04
102726520
Design structure tables for large steam turbine-generator laminar buckets
1960-01-04
102726484
The Integrated Systems Project at General Electric
1960-03-28
102726511
TABSOL printout
1960-08
102726526
GE 225 general compiler manual
1960-10
102726525
A test of alternative facility designs and operations by simulation
1961-03
102726513
GE 225 forward sort/merge generator manual : edition 1
1961-06
102726529
A general approach to information systems design
1962-08
102726530
Base data tables
undated
102726528
Cost of processing an order
undated
102726521
Design structure table for outdoor unit parts sheet
undated
102726531
Industrial data accumulator (IDA) brochure
undated
102726533
New System Laundry : an overview
undated
102726540
Partial draft of document
undated
102726499
Process analysis
undated
102726535
Spindlemaster specifications
undated
102726523
Work sheet : revision of (305-A4-PR-6214) remove ties - formvar prices - medium A.C. motor
department
undated
102726522
Work sheet : revision of Logtab (59LS23) illustrative example for machining buckets
undated
Special projects, Series 2,
1957-1977
Language of Material:
English
Series Scope and Content
The special projects series includes documentation of projects that Grad worked on at both General Electric and IBM: decision
tables and integrated systems research. Both of these topics are represented elsewhere in the collection as well.
Arrangement
This series is arranged into two subseries:
Subseries 2.1, Decision tables, 1959-1977
Subseries 2.2, Automated factory design project, 1957-1966, bulk 1957-1963
Decision Tables, Subseries 2.1,
1959-1977
Subseries Scope and Content
The decision tables subseries consists of instructional manuals, technical reports and notes, and information about computer
applications developed to automate decision tables. Decision Tables are a method of analyzing and documenting decision rules
that Grad developed while at GE. Similar tables were developed by others, and Grad documented his own ideas, practices, and
development of software as well as collected related work by others. This subseries also includes significant documentation
of TABSOL, a program developed by the Computer Usage Company (CUC) in the 1960s with assistance from Grad. This subseries
is arranged chronologically.The decision tables subseries consists of instructional manuals, technical reports and notes,
and information about computer applications developed to automate decision tables. Decision Tables are a method of analyzing
and documenting decision rules that Grad developed while at GE. Similar tables were developed by others, and Grad documented
his own ideas, practices, and development of software as well as collected related work by others. This subseries also includes
significant documentation of TABSOL, a program developed by the Computer Usage Company (CUC) in the 1960s with assistance
from Grad. This subseries is arranged chronologically.
102726544
LOGTAB : a logic table technique
1959-03-10
102726545
Integrated Systems Project report : TABSOL : a generalized solution to programming decision
systems
1959-03-21
102726548
Preliminary approach to tabular programming
1960-10
102726546
TABSOL : a fundamental concept for systems-oriented languages
1960-12-14
102726577
Reference book on decision logic and other topics
1960-1962
102726576
Decision Tables folder
1960-1962; 1972
102726579
1401 T.P. implementation manual draft
1961
102726580
Reference book : tabular techniques development #1-4
1961
102726581
Tabular techniques development #1 and #2
1961
102726557
Tabular techniques development #5 and #6
1961
102726547
Systems engineering services clearinghouse report : preliminary reference manual draft TABSOL -
225
1961-02-01
102726549
United systems approach clearinghouse report : tabular techniques reference manual
1961-02-08
102726550
GE 225 TABSOL manual (preliminary)
1961-03
102726551
Tables signal better communication
1961-06-01
102726552
Tabular techniques development distribution #3 report
1961-06-23
102726553
Systems engineering services clearinghouse report : tabular form in decision logic
1961-07-01
102726554
Systems engineering services clearinghouse report : Decision Tables : a preliminary reference
manual
1961-09
102726555
Systems engineering services : preliminary manual : 1401 tabular programming system
1961-10-15
102726556
GE 225 LJED TABSOL system
1961-11
102726558
1401 tabular programming system evaluation program
1961-11-06
102726575
Automated decision making clearinghouse
1961-12-15
102726565
IBM data processing techniques : Decision Tables : a systems analysis and documentation
technique
1962
102726559
Systems engineering services : tabular descriptive language : draft and preliminary
languages
1962-01
102726560
IBM technical report : tables, flow charts, and program logic
1962-02-26
102726561
Decision Tables training manual
1962-03
102726562
Systems engineering services : preliminary manual : 7080 decision table system
1962-04-10
102726563
An introduction to the decision logic table technique
1962-07-10
102726564
Preliminary manual : 1090 Fortran decision table system
1962-07-15
102726567
IBM Decision Tables : practice problems & solutions (education planning booklet)
1963
102726566
Decision table tutorial using DETAB-X
1963-03
102726568
Conversion of limited-entry decision tables to computer programs
1964-05
102726578
DETAB/65 folder
1965
102726569
System development corporation tech memo re : Decision Tables : an annotated bibliography
abstract
1965-04-12
102726570
Decision Tables folder
1967-1968
102726587
Decision Table usage in the systems & procedures function
1968-10-21
102726571
Burt Grad memo to J.T. Griffin re: using Decision Tables
1973
102726572
Decision Tables folder
1971; 1974
102726574
The dark side of structured programming
1975-11
102726573
Decision Tables : Glans folder
1977
102726585
Chapter 5 : integrating Decision Tables into a system
undated
102726584
IBM Decision Table coding sheets
undated
102726586
IBM application program : IBM 1401 decision logic translator (1401-SE-05X) application
description
undated
102726583
IBM application program : IBM 1401 decision logic translator (1401-SE-05X) program reference
manual
undated
102726582
Report : define meaning of a table, major characteristics of condition area and condition area
algorithms
undated
Automated factory design project, Subseries 2.2,
Bulk, 1957-1963
1957-1966
Language of Material:
English
Subseries Scope and Content
This subseries is primarily focused on integrated systems work that Grad did at both GE and IBM. It contains technical notes
and papers, the majority of which are authored or co-authored by Grad. See also Series 1: “General Electric records” for additional
materials regarding factory automation and the Integrated Systems Project. This subseries is arranged chronologically.
102726592
Information process charting
1957-03-15
102726593
Summary report : 39 frame systems project
1957-03-15
102726595
Integrated Systems Project : main line to profit
1958
102726597
Integrated Systems Project
1958-01-02
102726594
Report on second systems design meeting
1958-03-18
102726598
Requisition edit sheet : Integrated Systems Project
1958-08-22
102726596
General engineering laboratory : the integrated engineering information system
1958-12-23
102726603
Fourth progress report on the Integrated Systems Project
1959-04
102726602
Report : regeneration : an advanced concept for information systems design
1959-12-01
102726601
Conference paper : a systems approach to integrated systems planning
1960-02-01
102726600
The Integrated System Project at General Electric
1960-03-31
102726588
Automated Design Engineering documents
1961-1962
102726604
Automated Design Engineering project plan
1962-03-12
102726589
Present business description : an automated design engineering study for Leeds & Northrup
Company
1962-05-01
102726590
Reference manual : the survey and implementation of an Automated Design Engineering
system
1963
102726599
The concept and use of Decision Tables in engineering applications
1963-08-07
102726591
Automated planning of manufacturing operations
1966-05
International Business Machine records, Series 3,
1960-1978
Series Scope and Content
This series contains records from Grad’s work at IBM. It contains selected correspondence, technical reports, and other materials
from Grad’s time working in the Data Processing Division and in IBM Research; it also contains technical reports and presentation
materials for the Study Organization Plan (SOP), and loose documents that were not inventoried during the donation process
but were found in the collection.
Arrangement
This series is arranged into three subseries:
Subseries 3.1, IBM Research, 1962-1978, bulk 1972-1978
Subseries 3.2, Study Organization Plan, 1960-1975, bulk 1961-1963
Subseries 3.3, General, 1960-1977
IBM Research, Subseries 3.1,
Bulk, 1972-1978
1962-1978
Language of Material:
English
Subseries Scope and Content
This subseries contains select materials pertaining to Grad’s time working in IBM Research. Highlights include documentation
of trips that Grad took (to the Soviet Union and the IBM Research in California) and Grad’s work on Application System Development
Methodology (ASDM). This subseries is arranged alphabetically by folder title.
102726617
Application system development method (ASDM) : common support systems folder
1977-1978
102726622
Application system development method (ASDM) : DPD/WT-EMEA strategy plans folder
1977-1978
102726618
Application system development method (ASDM) : EAS-E folder
1962; 1977
102726621
Application system development method (ASDM) : IBM meeting
1977
102726620
Application system development method (ASDM) : study of applications development
technology
1978-09-22
102726619
Application system development method (ASDM) : technical workshop folder
1977
102726607
Applications directions '77 : scientific computing marketing handbook
1977-05
102726605
Computer services department : 1975-1976 report
1976-10-20
102726611
General marketing guidelines
1977-08
102726606
IBM Research : West Coast trip folder
1977
102726608
IBM Research folder
1975-1977
102726613
IBM Research report : a system for the automation of almost-routine functions
1977-03-14
102726616
Interactive programming/CMS aids folder
1977
102726615
National computer conference folder
1976
102726614
Office systems simulation folder
1972; 1974; 1977
102726609
Soviet trip folder
1974; 1976-1977
102726612
Speech filing system folder
1976-1977
102726610
Unified systems of computers
undated
Study Organization Plan, Subseries 3.2,
Bulk, 1961-1963
1960-1975
Language of Material:
English
Subseries Scope and Content
This subseries contains primarily technical reports and notes from Grad’s Study Organization Plan (SOP) project at IBM. This
project built on Grad’s work on integrated systems, but was generalized for any kind of business rather than specific to manufacturing.
Grad assembled and led a team that included Tom Glans, David Holstein, and Lee Baker, who are represented as authors in this
subseries. This subseries is arranged chronologically.
102726625
Reference book : Study Organization Plan
1960
102726623
Reference book : Study Organization Plan
1961
102726630
Hughes El Segundo - IBM systems study preliminary report
1961-04-10
102726624
Reference book : Study Organization Plan
1961-1962
102726626
IBM data processing techniques : study : IBM Study Organization Plan : the approach
1963
102726627
IBM data processing techniques documents
1963
102726628
Study Organization Plan presentations
1963
102726631
Promotional materials for Management Systems book
1968-1969
102726629
Business systems folder
1975
General, Subseries 3.3,
1960-1977
Language of Material:
English
Subseries Scope and Content
This is a miscellaneous series containing technical reports, manuals and promotional materials for IBM products, correspondence
and notes. Some of the materials in this subseries were found in the collection, but not represented in the item-level inventory
that was created during the donation process. This subseries is arranged chronologically.
102726634
Representation of an industrial processing system folder
1960
102726632
The "explosion" operator as used in production control
1960-05-15
102726640
IBM : general information manual : advanced analysis method for integrated electronic data
processing
ca. 1960
102726633
IBM personal folder
1962; 1964
102726638
Judicial administration and the computer
1969-11
102726639
IBM application brief : lawyers co-operative publishing company data entry and text processing
using the System/360 text processor - PAGINATION/360 and Administrative Terminal System (ATS)
1971-05
102726644
IBM program product : Storage And Information Retrieval System (STAIRS/VS), general
information
1973-06
102726643
IBM program product : Interactive Training System general information manual
1973-09
102726635
Deposition re: Symbolic Control, Inc. vs. IBM
1973-1974
102726642
IBM program product : Advanced Text Management System (ATMS) general information manual
1974-10
102726636
The United States House of Representatives computer-based bill status system
1975-06
102726641
Public computer news - flyer for Comput-O-Mat Systems
1976
102726646
IBM organizational chart - scientific computing
1977-04-01
102726645
Sun network (chart)
1977-04-15
102726637
Program for IBM offices of the future symposium
1977-10
