| September 4, 2001 | 03 00050 61 01090401 |
Mr. Dave Campbell
President
dave.campbell@skylimit.com
Skylimit Resources Corporation
12723 St. Clair Drive
Louisville, KY 40243
| Subject: | Tools for Communication Metrics |
Dear Dave,
Thanks very much for asking about Com Metrics in your letter today. If time permits, it would be helpful to hear how you learned about this capability?
Your idea of using an electronic diary is part of Com Metrics.
Some authorities describe this as a "Dynamic Knowledge Repository" (DKR). Others describe the idea of "organizational memory," "paperless/virtual office" or even "intelligence." Knowledge Management has become another popular buzz word, although it, too, is beginning to wain, as reported by SRI on April 26, 2001. and more recently noted by DCMA on July 30, 2001.
I use a program called the Schedule Diary System (SDS).
A friend recently reported on July 20, 2001 that a lot of SDS tasks can be done with Microsoft programs, accountants, secretaries and 3x5 cards.
Others are trying to create AI applications with XML, see report of planning on May 10, 2001 by Microsoft.
Lotus Notes might be useful. IBM tried to transform LN into an SDS-type capability with XML, see for example on November 30, 2000.
Jack Park has proposed using XML to support SDS, also, reported on November 30, 2000.
Jack has recently launched an open source project called Nexist that is inspired by Doug Engelbart's writings for an OHS/DKR, reported on August 21, 2001.
Can you provide an example of LN work product to illustrate your idea of a "backend"? Jack mentioned something similar on February 23, 2001.
Com Metrics in some respects entails a new way of working. SDS makes it possible to use good management practices consistently, see, for example, Covey reviewed on December 5, 1992.
SDS extends traditional management by adding a few new tasks that people are not used to doing, but which turn out to be helpful, see steps for using SDS on December 19, 2000.
Since good management is hard to use consistently, and since adding organization, analysis, alignment, summary and feedback, i.e., intelligence, to daily management is a new way of working, Com Metrics embodies the idea of adding a work role for using SDS that aligns communication with objectives, requirements and commitments, similar to the way accountants align daily finances with budgets.
The theory is that since communication provides guidance and collaboration, adding proactive metrics to communication before actual work takes place saves time and money better than traditional cost and schedule control that basically report results of failed communication.
In the abstract, this is a simple concept, but acceptance of proactive management to avoid problems is slowed by cultural forces discussed on May 27, 1999.
Thanks again for interest in Com Metrics. Please let me know if you need more information.
Sincerely,
THE WELCH COMPANY
Rod Welch
rowelch@attglobal.net
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