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


S U M M A R Y


DIARY: March 3, 1994 06:06 PM Thursday; Rod Welch

Bob called to comment on SDS & POIMS scope statement.

1...Summary/Objective
2...Double Entry Bookkeeping Model Using Writing to Check Understanding


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CONTACTS 

SUBJECTS
SDS & POIMS specification/Graphics
POIMS definition

0504 -    ..
0505 - Summary/Objective
0506 -
050601 - Bob had some helpful comments.  I will re-submit version applying his
050602 - ideas on font changes so he can complete comments on other issues.
050603 -
050604 - Sent Bob revised scope statement, ref OF 1 line 10, via ref DIT 1 line
050605 - 30.
050606 -
050607 - Made modifications to apply Bob's ideas, and added a few other
050608 - improvements.
050609 -
050610 -
0507 -
0508 -
0509 - Discussion
0510 -
051001 - Bob said the font changes intended for emphasis are distracting.
051002 -
051003 -     I explained they are intended to cause people to pause to
051004 -     recognize new ideas are being introduced.  Bob said that happened
051005 -     with him, but he still feels they should be mainly removed.  If
051006 -     you emphasize everything, then nothing stands out.  He suggests
051007 -     limiting italics to names of screens or major concepts.
051008 -
051009 -
051010 - Bob recommends removing the section on "Objections."
051011 -
051012 -
051013 - He asked about the purpose of the document.
051014 -
051015 -     He feels it is too long for sales.
051016 -
051017 -     I agree.  There is a shorter version for that purpose.  I created
051018 -     this expanded version to fully explain the product to myself; its
051019 -     purpose, correlation to accepted practices, application of human
051020 -     memory and management theory, what the objections are and how to
051021 -     deal with them.  This new expanded version really arose from
051022 -     comments by Morris on the shorter version, that a lot of SDS
051023 -     funcationality was not explained relative to everyday business
051024 -     practice, ref SDS 7 line 125, and also at ref SDS 7 line 112.
051025 -
051026 -     This expanded version can support product development, creating
051027 -     sales materials, publishing papers on POIMS theory, and perhaps a
051028 -     book on POIMS.
051029 -
051030 -     Bob feels the document "works" as support for a business plan,
051031 -     with the adjustments he recommends.
051032 -
051033 -
051034 - Bob said the writing is lively and clear.  He enjoyed reading it
051035 - (except for font changes), and feels the ideas are well presented,
051036 - even though he did not follow all of them.
051037 -
051038 -     He cited the connection between SDS and "double entry" verifica-
051039 -     tion, used at ref OF 1 line 139, 572, 603, which was also ques-
051040 -     tioned by Morris Jones at ref SDS 7 line 410, as not adequately
051041 -     explained. (see below)
051042 -
051043 -     He said the core concept of using writing to discover "understand-
051044 -     ing," set out at ref OF 1 line 359, explaining "Communication
051045 -     Metrics," is a strong concept.
051046 -
051047 -         I mentioned the dialog in Prodigy last year where I advanced
051048 -         some of these ideas in the "Writers Forum" and found a recep-
051049 -         tive audience, ref SDS 6 line 97.
051050 -
051051 -         He might enjoy the Prodigy dialog.
051052 -
051053 -
051054 -     Bob recommends more graphics.
051055 -
051056 -         I am not sure what we can do on this.  Possibly he can indi-
051057 -         cate what he has in mind.  More graphics would increase the
051058 -         size of the thing, although maybe we could cut some narrative.
051059 -
051060 -
051061 -
051062 -
0511 -

SUBJECTS
Long Way Around is Short Way to Success, Investing Paragidm
Double Entry Bookkeeping Pattern Context Management Method
Writing Twice Saves Time Discovers Opportunity, Avoiding Mistakes
Bookkeeping Double Entry Feedback Loops

1107 -
110701 -  ..
110702 - Double Entry Bookkeeping Model Using Writing to Check Understanding
110703 -
110704 - Bob feels the material is too repetitive in some respects.
110705 -
110706 -     I explained that some repetition is needed to show how various new
110707 -     concepts are applied in different ways to meet the demands of
110708 -     daily business life.  Applying accepted concepts in new ways also
110709 -     requires some extended treatment.
110710 -
110711 -     The idea of "double entry" verification of personal understandings
110712 -     is mentioned three times in the paper.  First, it is presented as
110713 -     a general principle on page 3; then on page 11 to show how writing
110714 -     in the first instance is a double check on personal perceptions,
110715 -     such as this record prepared to consider the meaning and
110716 -     implications of Bob's comments in the discussion this evening.
110717 -     "Double Entry" is used again on page 12 to show how the project
110718 -     management practice of "giving notice" serves a second purpose of
110719 -     verifying mutual understanding.  In both cases we are applying a
110720 -     metric to discover errors in understanding, so something can be
110721 -     done about it before unpleasant consequences occur at a future
110722 -     time.  This seems like the purpose of "double entry" bookkeeping,
110723 -     i.e. to trap error.
110724 -
110725 -     These SDS methods do not reach the rigor of "double entry" book-
110726 -     keeping, because human intentions expressed through language are
110727 -     more flexible than numerical manipulations.  They are, however,
110728 -     superior to the "single entry" assumptions that comprise the bulk
110729 -     of business communications.
110730 -
110731 -     Many executives complain that entering discussion notes in SDS
110732 -     (like these notes), is a wasteful "double entry" process,
110733 -     particularly relative to hand written meeting notes, see POIMS.
110734 -     ref OF 2 7822  It seems useful to point out in that context that
110735 -     "double entry" in SDS accomplishes similar ends to those found
110736 -     helpful in bookkeeping, where the extra time to make the second
110737 -     entry has been found through long hard experience, to actually
110738 -     save time and money by verifying accuracy, under the rule, the
110739 -
110740 -
110741 -              long way around is the short way there.
110742 -
110743 -
110744 -     On 890809 managers feel they do not have time to enter notes twice
110745 -     to verify accurate understandings and develop effective
110746 -     intelligence. ref SDS 2 8211  Same concern was raised on 901007,
110747 -     ref SDS 4 5G5N, and also on 920513. ref SDS 5 5592
110748 -
110749 -     On 900319 accuracy is key aspect of human memory essential for
110750 -     effective reasoning. ref SDS 3 1323
110751 -
110752 -        [On 950204 SDS overcomes fragility of knowledge. ref SDS 10
110753 -        0550
110754 -
110755 -        [On 950426 advances that save time initially resisted because
110756 -        fear not enough time. ref SDS 11 T2WK
110757 -
110758 -        [On 980405 fear of accountability. ref SDS 12 5065
110759 -
110760 -        [On 000518 accuracy is critical to "knowledge." ref SDS 13 3528
110761 -
110762 -
110763 -
110764 -
110765 -