THE WELCH COMPANY
440 Davis Court #1602
San Francisco, CA 94111-2496
415 781 5700
rodwelch@pacbell.net


S U M M A R Y


DIARY: September 20, 2004 03:21 PM Monday; Rod Welch

Morris submits letter asking how SDS supports root cause analysis.

1...Summary/Objective
........Understanding Fades After 10 Years Experience Reinforces
........Experience Reinforces Understanding Fades After 10 Years
........Analysis Construct Understanding Language Compare to Experience
........Understanding Constructed from Language Compared to Experience
........Good Sacrafice Waiting for Perfect
........Sacrafice Good Waiting for Perfect
........Good Should Not be Sacraficed to the Perfect
........Diligence Personal Skills Augmented by Technology
........Feedback Resisted Because People Get Mad
........Conflicts Error Resolved with Triangulation Feedback
........People Get Mad When Accuracy Fails Because Feedback Resisted

ACTION ITEMS.................. Click here to comment!

1...For example, do links created with other tools position the
2...Can you comment on how a few paragraphs relate to your

CONTACTS 
0201 - Intel Corporation                                                                                                                                                  O-00000704 0201
020101 - Mr. Morris E. Jones;

SUBJECTS
Analysis Difficult Frustrating Bad Luck Using Conventional Methods R
Referent Email Omitted Poor Communication Causes Confusion Difficult
False Positive Requiring All Information in Record to Perform Effect
Legal Problems Need SDS for Organizational Memory
Good Management Lot of Hard Work Knowledge Management Using Conventi
Peer Review Root Cause Analysis NWO Intelligence Support Scope Repor
POIMS Difficult Understand Explanation KM Cannot Comment
Communication Metrics Peer Review
False Positive Requiring All Information in Record to Perform Effect
Write Everything Down Unnecessary Capture Information Important to O
False Positive Requiring All Information in Record to Perform Effect

3313 -
3313 -    ..
3314 - Summary/Objective
3315 -
331501 - Follow up ref SDS 32 0000. ref SDS 31 0000.
331502 -
331503 - Received ref DRT 1 0001 from Morris responding to the letter submitted
331504 - on 040907, ref DIP 2 0001, asking for comments on the scope for root
331505 - cause analysis in the NWO that is part of the outline for Intelligence
331506 - support, ref SDS 32 YO40, and based on discussion with Morris earlier
331507 - on 040907. ref SDS 32 0001
331509 -  ..
331510 - Morris says today...
331511 -
331512 -    1.  I didn't understand how this works. ref DRT 1 0001
331514 -  ..
331515 - Understanding requires a referant.  What is the "this" that Morris
331516 - reports not understanding?
331518 -  ..
331519 - Presumably Morris is referring to the letter on 040907, since there
331520 - have been no interveing letters to Morris since that time.  However,
331521 - the letter on 040907 discussed two separate, though related issues.
331522 - One was a request for peer review on the scope for intelligence
331523 - support, and the 2nd asked for peer review on the outlne for root
331524 - cause analysis.
331526 -  ..
331527 - Morris continues...
331528 -
331529 -    2.  If the record has everything, then you are right. ref DRT 1
331530 -        545L
331532 -  ..
331533 - This is a false positive, since the record will never have everything.
331535 -  ..
331536 - People specifically complain about the prospect of writing everything
331537 - down....
331538 -
331539 -        Clyde feels SDS method to
331540 -        capture greater share of
331541 -        daily experience is gold
331542 -        plated overkill.....................890324, ref SDS 1 8R51,
331544 -         ..
331545 -        Ross worried about taking
331546 -        time to write everything
331547 -        down................................890809, ref SDS 2 3S6H
331549 -         ..
331550 -        Morris worried about not
331551 -        enough time to write
331552 -        everything down.....................890809, ref SDS 3 6993
331554 -         ..
331555 -        Alex wants less time on
331556 -        writing everything down
331557 -        and more time getting things
331558 -        done................................891027, ref SDS 4 9M6G
331560 -         ..
331561 -        Alex requested looking up
331562 -        critical details from spending
331563 -        more time writing writing greater
331564 -        share of daily experience that
331565 -        saved customer $40M.................891201, ref SDS 5 3W78
331567 -         ..
331568 -        Alex wants less time capturing
331569 -        critical details because doing
331570 -        work shows accurate understanding
331571 -        needed to save time and
331572 -        money...............................891205, ref SDS 6 1848
331574 -         ..
331575 -        Gary cites examples where
331576 -        capturing record on the job is
331577 -        not practical.......................040116, ref SDS 28 7Q3M
331579 -  ..
331580 - Lesson learned:  false positive; cannot capture everything; SDS saves
331581 - time and money by helping people capture a greater share of daily
331582 - experience that improves analysis to discover causation.
331583 -
331585 -  ..
331586 - SDS provides the opportunity to write down a greater share of daily
331587 - experience that is important to objectives, requirements and
331588 - commitments.
331590 -  ..
331591 - Morris continues...
331592 -
331593 -    3.  If things or links are not in the record, then it is no more
331594 -        help than existing systems.  I can't see that SDS software is
331595 -        any more help than what people now have (Linked web sites, and
331596 -        other tools). You can argue that people using SDS are brighter,
331597 -        smarter, and understand the alphabet, while others don't.
331598 -        There is no "secret" linking technology that isn't already in
331599 -        the industry. ref DRT 1 M25O
331601 -  ..
331602 - Morris seems to reflect frustration getting poor results with analysis
331603 - methods, reported in the record on 040907. ref SDS 32 0001
331605 -  ..
331606 - SDS helps people save a lot of time and money with analysis when
331607 - information is missing from the record shown by the list of case
331608 - studies on root cause analysis listed on 040905. ref SDS 31 AH4F  SDS
331609 - capabilities for analysis when the record is not available are also
331610 - listed on 040905, which further cites the report by USACE that cost
331611 - savings using SDS are 10:1. ref SDS 31 M46H
331613 -  ..
331614 - Morris is correct that linking is no "secret."  On 000403 Jack Park
331615 - commented that linking is not an SDS innovation, and that Welch has no
331616 - claim to linking as intellectual property. ref SDS 22 4862
331618 -  ..
331619 - At that time, on 000403 analysis indicated that SDS supports...
331620 -
331621 -                           dynamic linking
331622 -
331623 - ...with a range of uniquely integratged features enabled by Knowledge
331624 - Space...
331626 -                       ..
331627 -                      organic subject structures
331629 -  ..
331630 - ...as helpful aspects of a..
331631 -
331632 -                     dynamic knowledge management
331634 -  ..
331635 - ...system to implement connectionist theory that augments human
331636 - intelligence, pretty much as a matter of volition, as set out in
331637 - POIMS, ref OF 7 3742  On 000331 Jack explained POIMS, implemented by
331638 - SDS, steers a line along the border of causal and relational thinking.
331639 - ref SDS 21 3905  Later that year on 001130 Jack reported to the
331640 - OHS/DKR group meeting at SRI that SDS has the right structure for
331641 - knowledge and the interface that makes the structure of knowledge
331642 - useful to people. ref SDS 23 H17O  A year later on 010425 Morris noted
331643 - that SDS is a utopia compared to other methods, because everything is
331644 - in the right place at the right time. ref SDS 24 EP7F
331646 -  ..
331647 - This record points to unique capabilities that make linking more
331648 - effective with SDS, as explained in NWO. ref OF 10 07XP
331650 -  ..
331651 - Morris says he "...can't see" that SDS is more helpful.
331653 -  ..
331654 - Morris has a lot of experience working with minor details in systems,
331655 - like Medit, which he can't see, but turn out to make a huge difference
331656 - in performance.  A recent example was work on 040902 fixing the
331657 - problem that hamptered using SDS with the XP operating system.
331658 - ref SDS 30 U27K  Another example is the slight change he made to Medit
331659 - code on 040910 that fixed a major problem, so that SDS support for
331660 - Context Management is significantly improved. ref SDS 33 BF8N
331661 - Previously, on 031113 another very small change in the code made a big
331662 - difference on performance of SDS. ref SDS 27 PRVV
331664 -  ..
331665 - This record suggests that elements of linking SDS may make a big
331666 - difference in performance of people using links effectively for root
331667 - cause analysis.
331669 -  ..
331670 - Morris continues...
331671 -
331672 -    4.  That said, a discipline of constant evaluation will help.  This
331673 -        is a personal skills issue.  I don't know if the tool is the
331674 -        issue. ref DRT 1 RU6N
331676 -  ..
331677 - Morris needs experience with SDS that reinforces the report on 910520
331678 - showing that Morris found SDS supports good management that requires
331679 - diligence, ref SDS 7 655O, also, explained in NWO. ref OF 11 PQ4M
331681 -  ..
331682 - SDS supports retooling personal skills for working intelligently to
331683 - organize, analyse, align, summarize and verify with feedback,
331684 - explained in POIMS. ref OF 3 0367
331686 -  ..
331687 - Morris continues...
331688 -
331689 -    5.  You need to address the issue of conflicting records in
331690 -        different departments and/or organizations.  When everyone sees
331691 -        the elephant differently, it is often a challenge to understand
331692 -        that someone forgot to feed the beast, and it died.  (Often
331693 -        people have not even found the mouth yet). ref DRT 1 2V7H
331695 -  ..
331696 - Letter to Morris explains how SDS resolves conflicts. ref SDS 0 5X5S
331697 -
331699 -  ..
331700 - Submitted ref DIT 1 0001 responding to Morri's letter reviewed above,
331701 - ref SDS 0 0001,
331702 -
331703 -    1.  Thanks for your letter today, shown below, examining the scope
331704 -        of "intelligence support" and commenting on "root cause
331705 -        analysis," ref DIT 1 0001, that flows from organizational
331706 -        memory, as requested in the letter on 040907. ref DIP 2 0001
331707 -
331708 -
331709 -
3318 -

SUBJECTS
Default Null Subject Account for Blank Record

3403 -
340401 -         ..
340402 -        Understanding Fades After 10 Years Experience Reinforces
340403 -        Experience Reinforces Understanding Fades After 10 Years
340404 -
340405 -    2.  Like most things, understanding how "intelligence support"
340406 -        works, mentioned in your letter, flows from experience.
340407 -        ref DIT 1 PV6K  For example, on 910520 the first day you
340408 -        experienced using SDS, you demonstrated and expressed
340409 -        understanding of how SDS adds value to existing practice.
340410 -        ref SDS 7 I66F
340412 -         ..
340413 -    3.  A few months later on 911123 you reported that experience shows
340414 -        SDS enables a new way of working, ref DIT 1 HY7L, which you
340415 -        called the Welch Management Method, ref SDS 8 0477, and noted
340416 -        that most people use "feel good" management. ref SDS 8 1331
340418 -         ..
340419 -    4.  Naturally, understanding fades from 10 years ago without
340420 -        reinforcement of continuing experience. ref DIT 1 G28N  In
340421 -        Gary's case, he has had continual support with regular contact
340422 -        3 - 5 times a week. You missed this support, and so skills did
340423 -        not reach the point of reinforcing understanding, noted in your
340424 -        letter. ref SDS 0 8V6I
340425 -
340426 -
340427 -
3405 -

SUBJECTS
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3503 -
350401 -         ..
350402 -        Analysis Construct Understanding Language Compare to Experience
350403 -        Understanding Constructed from Language Compared to Experience
350404 -
350405 -    5.  Better "understanding," however, ref DIT 1 N49M, can be
350406 -        constructed by comparing actual language on "intelligence
350407 -        support" in NWO, ref OF 10 LW5I, with your experience not using
350408 -        SDS the past 10 years or so.
350410 -         ..
350411 -    6.  Typically, analysis, which you recommended to Gary on 031108,
350412 -        places language under review in relation to personal experience
350413 -        and other sources (e.g., Grove, Drucker, Covey, Gates, PMBOK,
350414 -        ISO, FAR, etc.) to test for alignment that demonstrates a
350415 -        disconnect. ref DIT 1 S64J  In this case, you note that links
350416 -        occur on other web pages to argue that SDS does not add value.
350417 -        How does the explanation of linking in NWO, ref OF 10 07XP,
350418 -        relate to your experience with other tools?
350420 -         ..
350421 -    7.  For example, do links created with other tools position the
350422 -        reader in the context of time that imparts causation, as SDS
350423 -        does? ref DIT 1 A45M  Do you feel that knowing chronology is
350424 -        helpful? -- recall you discussed linking and chronology on
350425 -        940327. ref SDS 11 J496
350426 -
350427 -
350428 -
350429 -
3505 -

SUBJECTS
Default Null Subject Account for Blank Record

3603 -
360401 -         ..
360402 -        Good Sacrafice Waiting for Perfect
360403 -        Sacrafice Good Waiting for Perfect
360404 -        Good Should Not be Sacraficed to the Perfect
360405 -
360406 -
360407 -    8.  Next, construction in your letter today saying, only "If the
360408 -        record has everything, then [SDS is useful]" seems like a false
360409 -        positive that sacrifices the good to perfection. ref DIT 1 D66K
360410 -        We agree that SDS does not have everything.  Neither does
360411 -        anything else, and any system that tries to have everything is
360412 -        replete with useless information.  This should not rule out
360413 -        advantages capturing a greater share of daily experience that
360414 -        impacts objectives, requirements, and commitments, which is the
360415 -        goal of intelligence support. ref OF 10 PWVQ
360417 -         ..
360418 -    9.  Your letter on 010924 seemed to recognize, ref DIT 1 TG3N, that
360419 -        SDS offers a better chance for good management practice than
360420 -        using other methods. ref SDS 26 XT5F
360421 -
360422 -
360423 -
3605 -

SUBJECTS
Default Null Subject Account for Blank Record

3703 -
370401 -         ..
370402 -        Diligence Personal Skills Augmented by Technology
370403 -
370404 -   10.  Diligence using personal skills mentioned in your letter today
370405 -        is explained in NWO. ref DIT 1 MK4J
370407 -         ..
370408 -        Can you comment on how a few paragraphs relate to your
370409 -        experience with diligence. ref OF 11 FU6J
370410 -
370411 -
370412 -
3705 -

SUBJECTS
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3803 -
380401 -         ..
380402 -        Feedback Resisted Because People Get Mad
380403 -        Conflicts Error Resolved with Triangulation Feedback
380404 -        People Get Mad When Accuracy Fails Because Feedback Resisted
380405 -
380406 -   11.  Your letter today asks how SDS resolves conflicting records?
380407 -        ref DIT 1 PM5F
380409 -  ..
380410 - Morris' questions is shown above. ref SDS 0 EW4W
380412 -         ..
380413 -   12.  Triangulation continually refines accuracy, ref DIT 1 KN5I,
380414 -        which is the core metric of communication we discussed on
380415 -        950204. ref SDS 12 8A4G
380417 -         ..
380418 -   13.  Feedback is one of the three (3) steps for accuracy,
380419 -        ref DIT 1 RO6H; it is often resisted due to social dynamics on
380420 -        the job explained in NWO. ref OF 11 2670
380422 -         ..
380423 -   14.  For example, on 940327 you related experience where everybody
380424 -        got mad, ref DIT 1 JQ6N, when you tried to provide feedback.
380425 -        ref SDS 11 J47F
380427 -         ..
380428 -   15.  This common experience discourages feedback; see, for example,
380429 -        work at US Army Corps of Engineers on 961017. ref SDS 15 5832
380430 -        However, accuracy is critical to avoid everybody getting mad
380431 -        anyway when error occurs, productivity and earnings fall,
380432 -        vacations are eliminated, health care, employment become
380433 -        problematic, etc. (see catastrophy on 010911, ref SDS 25 YNGH),
380434 -        diplomacy presents unpleasant feedback in a constructive manner
380435 -        to get things done correctly. ref DIT 1 UR7I  Diplomacy
380436 -        requires diligence preparing a useful record that raises issues
380437 -        without raising temperatures.  SDS makes this task faster and
380438 -        easier because it supports command and control of the record;
380439 -        yet, as you point out, while SDS works better than other
380440 -        methods, it does not eliminate all objections in every setting
380441 -        all the time.
380443 -         ..
380444 -   16.  Should we wait for perfection before taking steps to improve?
380445 -        ref DIT 1 GL9J
380446 -
380447 -
380448 -
380449 -
380450 -
380451 -
380452 -
380453 -
380454 -
380455 -
380456 -
380457 -
3805 -
Distribution. . . . See "CONTACTS"