THE WELCH COMPANY
440 Davis Court #1602
San Francisco, CA 94111-2496
415 781 5700


S U M M A R Y


DIARY: November 13, 2002 11:24 AM Wednesday; Rod Welch

Gary discusses market for SDS based on the record of Ecco Pro.

1...Summary/Objective
2...20 Minutes to Learn New Way Working Improve Productivity Earnings
3...Finding Information Difficult without SDS Capabilities
4...Productivity Increased by Finding Information When Needed Quickly
5...Fast and Easy Tasks Yield Benefits that Are Fast and Easy to See
6...Tangible Benefits Fast and Easy Functionality Builds Demand for SDS
7...Productivity Increased by Integrating Functions to Work Naturally


..............
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CONTACTS 

SUBJECTS
People Cannot Find Anything on the Computer Consolidate Ways for Stor
Can't Find Anything Using Organizing Methods Available from Popular P
Gates, Bill Productivity Email Killer App People Cannot Find Anything
Productivity People Cannot Find Anything on Computers Launching New P
Find Information is Not Fast and Easy Using Microsoft Programs Not En
People Cannot Find Information on Computers Using Microsoft Programs
Demand SDS Work Intelligently Email Weblogs Grow Skills Familiarity W
Killer App Email Free Causes Mistakes Grows Market for SDS by Increas
Utopia Competence Handle Complexity Cost Savings Avoid Mistakes Rewor
Organize Context Augment Intelligence Enhances Competence Avoid Mista
Search Engine Keyword Needs Improvement Enterprise Management
Ecco Good PIM Product Not Successful in Market Place
Care About Good Management People Resist Improvement Who are Managers
Care About Oranizational Memory When Cannot Get By Bad Management Rel
Resistance

7717 -    ..
7718 - Summary/Objective
7719 -
771901 - Follow up ref SDS B7 0000, ref SDS B5 0000.
771902 -
771903 - SDS has strong potential to succeed, despite weak sales by excellent
771904 - information management programs like Eco Pro, because SDS enables
771905 - advance to a culture of knowledge by integrating a critical mass of
771906 - tasks using a unique design that augments human intelligence.
771907 - ref SDS 0 EFBE  Gary's letter today pointing out excellent capability
771908 - by Ecco Pro for some management tasks, shows the importance of an
771909 - integrated design to lift productivity and earnings. ref SDS 0 OS6K
771910 - SDS encourages people to invest time for learning new skills by making
771911 - common tasks faster and easier to perform, ref SDS 0 FL6H, that yield
771912 - tangible benefits which are fast and easy to recognize. ref SDS 0 UJ4J
771913 -
771914 -
771915 -
771916 -
771917 -
771918 -
771919 -  ..
7720 -
7721 -
7722 - Progress
7723 -
772301 - 20 Minutes to Learn New Way Working Improve Productivity Earnings
772302 - Finding Information Difficult without SDS Capabilities
772303 - Productivity Increased by Finding Information When Needed Quickly
772304 -
772305 - Follow up ref SDS B7 EF5I.
772306 -
772307 - Received ref DRT 1 0001 from Gary transmitting recent correspondence
772308 - he received on Ecco, and saying...
772309 -
772310 -    The points that he makes about the majority of people not being
772311 -    willing to invest the effort to learn any application that actually
772312 -    requires learning matches my experience very closely. ref DRT 1
772313 -    SK6F
772314 -
772315 -  ..
772316 - The more telling test for evaluating any software to look to see how
772317 - many hours a day the people who develop and sell the product, use the
772318 - product for daily work.  If software does not integrate a wide range
772319 - of tasks to enable fast and easy performance, then no matter how well
772320 - a program may improve a particular management task, it will not likely
772321 - be used for very long by anybody, including the developers, because
772322 - management is an integrating process, explained further below.
772323 - ref SDS 0 EFBE
772324 -
772325 -  ..
772326 - Resistance to invest time for learning SDS is a focus of marketing,
772327 - generally summarized by the notion that people only spend 20 minutes
772328 - to improve productivity, earnings and stock prices that advance
772329 - civilization, shown by the following record over many years....
772330 -
772331 -       ..
772332 -   •  Learning requires slowing down in
772333 -      order to speed up...................... 890809, ref SDS 1 IT5G
772334 -
772335 -   •  Price of success learning new tools and
772336 -      methods is less than the cost of bad
772337 -      management............................. 890809, ref SDS 1 5U6K
772338 -
772339 -       ..
772340 -   •  Software learned in 20 minutes feels
772341 -      good until people get experience that
772342 -      what can be learned in 20 minutes does
772343 -      not improve productivity and earnings,
772344 -      then people fall back to old habits.... 890809, ref SDS 1 9Q5Q
772345 -
772346 -       ..
772347 -   •  Executives only have 20 minutes to
772348 -      learn how to improve productivity
772349 -      and earnings........................... 890809, ref SDS 2 2079
772350 -
772351 -   •  Pilot testing more than 20 minutes is
772352 -      resisted by the risk of loss when new
772353 -      methods do not improve productivity.... 000217, ref SDS 77 5952
772354 -
772355 -   •  Management productivity integrates tasks
772356 -      to make work faster and easier, but this
772357 -      is complex to learn, and so takes more
772358 -      than 20 minutes, which people resist
772359 -      because without experience it is very
772360 -      risky to invest more than 20 minutes
772361 -      learning new software.................. 000921, ref SDS 85 AF3L
772362 -
772363 -  ..
772364 - The desire to get by using existing skills, characterized by Jack Park
772365 - as "laziness," in a letter on 010908, ref SDS A1 UV4H, reinforces the
772366 - overwhelming tendency to use bad management that is fast and easy, and
772367 - refusal to invest time for learning new skills, unless events occur
772368 - that dramatically increase the need for improvement, as reported on
772369 - 020217. ref SDS B0 7T4L
772370 -
772371 -
772372 -  ..
772373 - Fast and Easy Tasks Yield Benefits that Are Fast and Easy to See
772374 - Tangible Benefits Fast and Easy Functionality Builds Demand for SDS
772375 -
772376 - Absent catacylsmic events that overwhelm indifference, improvement of
772377 - managmenet only comes when tangible rewards are fast and easy to
772378 - achieve.  SDS may have a stronger chance to succeed because....
772379 -
772380 -    1.  There is a record of 20 years showing SDS makes creating useful
772381 -        "intelligence" fast and easy, using eight (8) steps explained
772382 -        on 001219. ref SDS 88 4W4L
772383 -
772384 -         ..
772385 -    2.  It is fast and easy for people to recognize SDS work product on
772386 -        the Internet is markedly better than work product using other
772387 -        methods, reported on 010907. ref SDS A0 KX3L
772388 -
772389 -         ..
772390 -    3.  SDS makes management tasks fast and easy...
772391 -
772392 -        Personal and organizational memory are fast easy and accurate
772393 -        with SDS, reported on 950204. ref SDS 10 7499
772394 -
772395 -        Reading and writing analysis is faster and easier with SDS,
772396 -        explained in POIMS, ref OF 1 3742, and reported on 950204.
772397 -        ref SDS 10 4995
772398 -
772399 -        Integrating time and information to work intelligently is fast
772400 -        and easy.
772401 -
772402 -        Organizing everything in the right place at the right time is
772403 -        fast and easy, reported on 010425. ref SDS 90 EP7F
772404 -
772405 -         ..
772406 -        Linking is fast and easy.
772407 -
772408 -        Flexible structure with outlining and summary connected to
772409 -        details is fast and easy with SDS. see POIMS. ref OF 1 M17I
772410 -
772411 -        Communication and collaboration using the Internet is fast and
772412 -        easy.
772413 -
772414 -         ..
772415 -        Finding information is fast and easy and amazing, reported on
772416 -        010916. ref SDS A2 0001
772417 -
772418 -        Document management is fast and easy, thorough and effective,
772419 -        enhanced on 021027. ref SDS B4 6L9J
772420 -
772421 -        Creating a connected record showing alignment of cause and
772422 -        effect and accuracy of understanding with controlling authority
772423 -        is fast and easy with SDS.
772424 -        ..
772425 -        Context management is fast and easy using SDS organic
772426 -        structures.
772427 -
772428 -         ..
772429 -    4.  Communication Metrics provides a theory of "intelligence,"
772430 -        setout in POIMS, ref OF 1 6649, that is implemented using eight
772431 -        (8) steps applying SDS to provide a new way of working and new
772432 -        professional work role that saves time and money, explained on
772433 -        001219, ref SDS 88 4W4L, and reported by USACE on 971007.
772434 -        ref DRP 6 0001
772435 -
772436 - Thus, does Ecco Pro have evidence of tangible benefits, and does it
772437 - support a new way of working that makes good managmenet fast and easy
772438 - using the eight (8) steps for performing Knowledge Management?
772439 -
772440 -
772441 -
772442 -
772443 -
772444 -
7725 -
7726 -

SUBJECTS
Outlook and Word People Only Use 5% of Capability so Even i  SDS were
Technography Helps People More than 5% of Features in Microsoft Progr
5% Features Microsoft Word Outlook Used GUI Does Not Improve Producti
Interface Balance Ease Learn Usefulness Turn Structure Needed for KM
GUI 5% Word Outlook Features GUI Interface Not Easier to Learn Cannot
Future Improvement Operating System Make Using Power of Commands Fast
Integrated Functions Complementary Data Bases New Way Working Difficu
Integrated Features Complementary Data Bases SDS New Way of Working D
Gates, Bill Consolidate Commands Menu Functions Simplify Computers

A412 -
A41201 -  ..
A41202 - Productivity Increased by Integrating Functions to Work Naturally
A41203 -
A41204 - Follow up ref SDS B7 EFBE.
A41205 -
A41206 - Ecco Pro gets high marks for information management, ref DRT 1 0002,
A41207 - that fits a "niche" in the market place, ref DRT 1 694G, by improving
A41208 - a few tasks that are important to people in the abstract, like a
A41209 - schedule, address book, etc.  Management is an integrating process
A41210 - that does many complementary tasks smoothly to be effective, and so
A41211 - cannot sustain use of even "excellent" tools that disrupt the flow of
A41212 - work (implied by "niche"). see POIMS, ref OF 1 1X6G and ref OF 1 K84L
A41213 - Market dynamics lend the appearance of usefulness that sustains, for
A41214 - awhile, products like Ecco Pro, Palm Pilot, Lotus Notes, et al, that
A41215 - do useful things well, but are discovered to be impractical for daily
A41216 - use after people buy and use them for a period of time.
A41217 -
A41218 -      [On 021119 Gary explains documents and PDF files are attractive
A41219 -      to people for presentation of information, until information
A41220 -      overload overwhelms span of attention, causing loss, conflict,
A41221 -      crisis and calamity; yet, documents remain popular because the
A41222 -      impact of meaning drift is not well understood. ref SDS B9 VA3G
A41223 -      and ref SDS B9 MW5N
A41224 -
A41225 -      [On 021126 Gary cites another excellent new program lawyers are
A41226 -      using to manage cases. ref SDS C0 91WP
A41227 -
A41228 -  ..
A41229 - Ecco Pro may have failed to catch on in the market place because,
A41230 - "niche" programs do not integrate a critical mass of tasks essential
A41231 - to improve productivity rather than rely on remembering the gist of
A41232 - information from meetings, calls and email which comprise the primary
A41233 - activity of civilization.  Evidence on 890809  showed communication is
A41234 - 80% to 90% of daily work. ref SDS 2 8812  POIMS sets out the tasks
A41235 - that need to be integrated, ref OF 1 2688, and the harmony that is
A41236 - needed to increase management productivity. ref OF 1 8559  The core
A41237 - design of SDS integrates time and information for producing knowledge
A41238 - using a continuous plan, perform, report process that augments human
A41239 - intelligence.  Since "intelligence" is the engine of management and
A41240 - other knowledge work, this core support drives everything else.
A41241 - Research on 000425 indicates this is a unique design of SDS.
A41242 - ref SDS 81 0480
A41243 -
A41244 -  ..
A41245 - Integration is difficult to design and develop.  On 010924 Morris
A41246 - explained how SDS has done this and others have not, ref SDS A4 NK4J,
A41247 - with the result that the design of KM is a secret of SDS for reasons
A41248 - set out on 010924. ref SDS A4 JS6G
A41249 -
A41250 -  ..
A41251 - The record over the past 10 years showing people giving up on Ecco Pro
A41252 - and other efforts to improve management is listed on 011003, and
A41253 - supports Morris' analysis that SDS is a unique solution. ref SDS A5
A41254 - SP6G
A41255 -
A41256 - Specifically, on 951001 Morris reported that Ecco Pro is excellent for
A41257 - improving management, based on the favorable review in Gary's letter
A41258 - today, ref DRT 1 0002, and so he adopted Ecco Pro to replace the
A41259 - Newton for managing daily working information. ref SDS 16 0001
A41260 -
A41261 - A few years later, Morris replaced Ecco Pro with Lotus Organizer, and
A41262 - now he is using Microsoft Outlook, reported on 020110. ref SDS A8 5HYX
A41263 -
A41264 -  ..
A41265 - The Wizard, Palm Pilot, Newtom, Ecco, Lotus, Outlook, Getting Things
A41266 - Done (which Gary mentioned the other day on 021109 makes Outlook more
A41267 - productive), ref SDS B8 NQ7K) and so forth are all effective software
A41268 - programs for information management, as pointed out in favorable
A41269 - comments on Ecco cited in Gary's letter today. ref DRT 1 0002
A41270 -
A41271 -  ..
A41272 - On 000709 Bill DeHart explained in a telephone call with Morris that
A41273 - SDS works better than information technology because "organization" is
A41274 - better using the SDS design that adds "intelligence" to information.
A41275 - ref SDS 83 0052
A41276 -
A41277 -  ..
A41278 - Later on 010425 Morris noted that use cases for SDS in the Typical Day
A41279 - Scenario that explain how SDS is applied are a "utopia" compared to
A41280 - using information technology programs like Outlook, Ecco, et al,
A41281 - because in SDS everything is in the right place at the right time.
A41282 - ref SDS 90 EP7F
A41283 -
A41284 -  ..
A41285 - Later Morris clarified that he overstated assessment of SDS in his
A41286 - letter on 010425 because he believes the Typical Day Scenario
A41287 - exaggerates how SDS is used based on his experience using other
A41288 - programs that are unable to organize the record so that everything is
A41289 - in the right place at the right time.
A41290 -
A41291 -  ..
A41292 - So, without quibbling, Morris is correct that everything is not in the
A41293 - right place at the right time in SDS.  On the other hand, the Typical
A41294 - Day scenario correctly explains how SDS implements good management
A41295 - practices listed in eight (8) steps shown on 001219. ref SDS 88 4W4L
A41296 -
A41297 -  ..
A41298 - How can Morris be correct that everything is not in the right place at
A41299 - the right time in SDS, yet be incorrect in maintaining that Typical
A41300 - Day Scenario overstates how SDS is used?
A41301 -
A41302 -  ..
A41303 - It boils down to the fact that everything need not be in the right
A41304 - place at the right time in order to make a significant improvment in
A41305 - management to increase productivity, earnings and stock prices, so
A41306 - long as SDS can make it fast and easy to put a much larger share of
A41307 - everything in the right place so it is avilable at the right time far
A41308 - more often to impact performance, than can be accomplished using other
A41309 - methods.
A41310 -
A41311 -  ..
A41312 - In other words, the goal is substantial improvement not perfection.
A41313 -
A41314 - We do not aim nor claim to have "everything" in the right place at the
A41315 - right time.  SDS enables people to capture a larger share of daily
A41316 - working information and add "intelligence" to organize, analyse,
A41317 - align, summarize and get feedback, than can be accomplished using
A41318 - other methods.
A41319 -
A41320 -  ..
A41321 - Other methods, like Ecco, Outlook and so forth fail to improve
A41322 - management because they operate on a small portion of the work.  SDS
A41323 - is effective because it makes a lot of integrated tasks that people
A41324 - normally do in their head, fast and easy to do on the computer for
A41325 - increased accuracy, per above. ref SDS 0 FLRQ  Go to a meeting, make a
A41326 - call, watch a television program, read a book, write a report, visit
A41327 - the doctor, mow the lawn, dig a ditch, write some software code, do
A41328 - anything, and SDS is the core technology that drives performance
A41329 - because it has the organizational memory on which human activity is
A41330 - based, i.e., daily experience, history.
A41331 -
A41332 -  ..
A41333 - That's why people give up on other solutions.  People rely on their
A41334 - memory, and information technology is not designed to aid human memory
A41335 - and to leverage human intelligence.  SDS is designed to do this, as
A41336 - Bill DeHart noted on 000709. ref SDS 83 0052
A41337 -
A41338 - A simple way to think about the problem of human memory is embodied in
A41339 - the phrase "People cannot find anything" in their computers, in their
A41340 - files, in their email, desk, car, or wherever people store
A41341 - information.  Eric Armstrong made this point on 010916. ref SDS A3
A41342 - KA6H
A41343 -
A41344 -  ..
A41345 - He later pointed out on 011003 that productivity is paralyzed because
A41346 - people cannot find anything when it is needed to get things done.
A41347 - ref SDS A5 EC5N
A41348 -
A41349 -  ..
A41350 - When productivity is paralyzed, the economy suffers.  This disappoints
A41351 - people, which drives up demand for technology to help people find
A41352 - things quickly and easily when needed so they can get things done
A41353 - correctly, on time and within budget.
A41354 -
A41355 -  ..
A41356 - An example is Bill Gates report on 021108 that Microsoft has a new
A41357 - project he is spearheading to improve the ability to find things in
A41358 - Outlook and other Microsoft programs, ref SDS B7 EF5I, and he plans
A41359 - another project, possibly related, to increase integration so that
A41360 - getting things done is fast and easy. ref SDS B7 EFBE
A41361 -
A41362 -  ..
A41363 - The fact that Microsoft plans to invest billions of dollars to develop
A41364 - SDS capability is another indication that the SDS design is more
A41365 - effective than other methods.
A41366 -
A41367 -
A41368 -
A41369 -
A41370 -
A41371 -
A41372 -
A41373 -
A41374 -
A41375 -
A41376 -
A41377 -
A414 -