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


S U M M A R Y


DIARY: April 5, 1996 10:30 AM Friday; Rod Welch

Visited Turner re Asilomar event planning.

1...Summary/Objective
2...Obtain biography for Bill
3...Background
.....General Hatch's Confirmation Letter
.....New World Order Paper
.....Downsizing & Skills Deficit
.....Secrets of Project Success from Culture of Construction
4...Turner's Outline
.....Illustrating Effective Communication
.....Communications is Costly and Time Consuming
.........Paperless Office - Technology
.........Moch Progress Meeting
..........................There isn't enough time
.....Communication Success
.........24-Hour Design in 3 Cities via Modem
.........Expedition
.....Communication Challenge SFIA Expansion Program
.........Automated Integration - Details - Summary
5...Follow Up


..............
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CONTACTS 
0201 - Turner Const. SF                   415 274 2900 fax 989 1370
020101 - Mr. Steve Rule; Territory Engineer =415 274 2917
020102 - Engineering Department
0202 - Turner Const. SF                   415 274 2900 fax 989 1370
020201 - Mr. Darrell Petray; Manager =415 274 2920; Business Development

SUBJECTS
Turner, Darrell Partey, Steve Rule
Moch Progress Meeting, Illustrate Managing
Desk Piled High with Paper, Unanswered Email

0605 -    ..
0606 - Summary/Objective
0607 -
060701 - Follow up ref SDS 22 0000, ref SDS 20 0000.
060702 -
060703 - Reviewed Turner's outline and ideas for Asilomar for correlation with
060704 - theme and other speakers.  They are positioned to present what is
060705 - entailed by "effective communications" in high risk settings.  There
060706 - are questions about how well a moch progress meeting could be done in
060707 - a seminar setting.  More thought is needed on the idea.  They are
060708 - planning to present pluses (successful projects and tools) and minuses
060709 - of faster, complex communication situations.
060710 -
060711 - Submitted ref DIT 1 0000 confirming these understandings, and included
060712 - notes of meeting with Intel last week. ref SDS 18 0000
060713 -
060714 -
060715 -  ..
0608 -
0609 -
0610 - Progress
0611 -
061101 - Obtain biography for Bill
061102 -
061103 - Received this and entered it in the record at ref DRT 1 0000.  After
061104 - the meeting, I submitted to Bill via email for his meeting with the
061105 - PMI Committee.
061106 -
061107 -  ..
061108 - Background
061109 -
061110 - Reviewed ideas on Turner's' presentation per understandings from the
061111 - meeting on 960125, ref SDS 6 0000 and Turner's current outline
061112 - received yesterday and analysed at ref SDS 24 4758.
061113 -
061114 -
061115 -     General Hatch's Confirmation Letter
061116 -
061117 -     Darrell and Steve read through Hatch's biography and his letter
061118 -     confirming his plans to address Asilomar on the need for a better
061119 -     partnership between leadership and technology through effective
061120 -     communications, as called out in the New World Order paper, per
061121 -     the record on 960403. ref SDS 25 5592
061122 -
061123 -      ..
061124 -     New World Order Paper
061125 -
061126 -     Darrell has not had a chance to review the New World Order paper.
061127 -     He took a copy and will review for background.
061128 -
061129 -     Steve said he has begun reading it.
061130 -
061131 -
061132 -     Downsizing & Skills Deficit
061133 -
061134 -     We contrasted the understanding from the PMnetwork magazine issue
061135 -     for April, 1996 that says the Project Manager has more a secure
061136 -     future than other professions, and the Fortune cover story for
061137 -     April, 1996 showing a picture of a laid off Project Manager, ref
061138 -     SDS 25 line 127.  Something does not fit!
061139 -
061140 -
061141 -     Secrets of Project Success from Culture of Construction
061142 -
061143 -     We considered briefly the secrets that construction has developed
061144 -     over thousands of years to ensure successful communications that
061145 -     are missing from project management in other industries, per our
061146 -     meeting on 960125, ref SDS 6 line 187 and ref SDS 6 line 467.
061147 -
061148 -     This was discussed with Steve on Wednesday at ref SDS 24 line 150.
061149 -
061150 -
061151 - Turner's Outline
061152 -
061153 - We considered how Tunrer's outline ref DRP 1 line 46 received at ref
061154 - SDS 23 line 201, sets up the concept of effective communications and
061155 - how this is a significant level of effort ref SDS 24 line 146, that is
061156 - a missing component in other industries that leads to downsizing when
061157 - managers are unable to keep up with the pace of communications on the
061158 - Information Highway.  I noticed an outline on the marking board in the
061159 - conference room which showed TQM ideas to improve communications, and
061160 - asked if this is Turner's outline for our meeting today.  Steve said
061161 - it is left over from a TQM meeting he had this morning.
061162 -
061163 -      ..
061164 -     Illustrating Effective Communication
061165 -
061166 -     Steve said Turner can easily supply a desk full of paper needed to
061167 -     carry out the communication methods they will describe, as shown
061168 -     in their outline.  He said that in a week enough paper is
061169 -     generated to overwhelm most people unless there is a team of
061170 -     people and procedures to manage the communications.
061171 -
061172 -     That is why they call themselves "Communication Managers" per the
061173 -     meeting on 960125. ref SDS 6 8508.
061174 -
061175 -      ..
061176 -     Communications is Costly and Time Consuming
061177 -
061178 -     Darrell said that, when Turner's Asilomar team met yesterday, they
061179 -     talked about the need to reduce paperwork, as a goal for improving
061180 -     management. They are looking at ways to use technology to achieve
061181 -     this goal which is ideal for the Asilomar theme: Leadership and
061182 -     Technology, Partnership for the Future.
061183 -
061184 -     Turner's search for ways to use technology for reducing the burden
061185 -     of "paperwork" is the message of the New World Order paper cited
061186 -     by General Hatch on 951229, ref SDS 5 4884, as essential for
061187 -     better management.
061188 -
061189 -          ..
061190 -         Paperless Office - Technology
061191 -
061192 -         I explained discussions with Intel about demonstrating at
061193 -         Asilomar the "Paperless" office that David Vannier described
061194 -         in the 1990 Byte article, ref SDS 3 8943, per my letter to
061195 -         Steve submitting the meeting notes for the 960103 meeting with
061196 -         Intel, ref DIP 4 0000.  Intel can show how all of the paper
061197 -         that piles up to perform thorough communications can be
061198 -         generated and be "managed" by a computer. Intel has this idea
061199 -         under consideration.
061200 -
061201 -              [On 960418 example of too much paper is Tom Kiesling's
061202 -              desk at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. ref SDS 28 8840;
061203 -
061204 -              [On 960606 Steve Rule can show a picture of his desk at
061205 -              Asilomar to illustrate goal to reduce burden of handling
061206 -              documentation. ref SDS 31 9009
061207 -
061208 -              [On 960627 Intel will report at Asilomar that "paplerless
061209 -              office" is not yet feasible. ref SDS 33 3913 and also at
061210 -              ref SDS 33 8488]
061211 -
061212 -              [On 960715 Intel reported at Asilomar that technology is
061213 -              increasing information overload. ref SDS 34 1552.]
061214 -
061215 -         We reviewed Intel's planning from notes for the 960315 meeting
061216 -         ref SDS 11 4545, and from the meeting on 960326, ref SDS 18
061217 -         0004, to focus on a solution to the problem of information
061218 -         overload, which they describe as "too much paper."
061219 -
061220 -          ..
061221 -         At the 960326 meeting, Intel discussed presenting a timeline
061222 -         on the evolution of technology for putting a greater share of
061223 -         daily management information in the computer. ref SDS 18 1007
061224 -
061225 -         (for reference, I included a link to the 960326 meeting with
061226 -         Intel in the letter to Turner confirming these understandings,
061227 -         ref DIT 1 8840, to illustrate the challenge of making very
061228 -         powerful technology useful to managers. ref SDS 18 7446)
061229 -
061230 -               [On 960715 Intel reported at Asilomar that the goal of a
061231 -               "paperless" office will not be achieved for some time.
061232 -               ref SDS 34 1552.]
061233 -
061234 -               [On 971105 began work to accomplish "paperless office",
061235 -               ref SDS 37 1459]
061236 -
061237 -
061238 -          ..
061239 -         Moch Progress Meeting
061240 -
061241 -         We considered briefly doing the moch progress meeting per
061242 -         discussions with General Hatch, ref SDS 21 6996 to set up the
061243 -         objective for Intel to help solve.
061244 -
061245 -              [See follow up at ref SDS 30 4444.]
061246 -
061247 -         Darrel said it could be difficult to provide adequate visual
061248 -         interaction for the audience so they could follow it and
061249 -         maintain interest.  I agreed this might not work and so we
061250 -         want Turner's ideas of the challenges and benefits of making
061251 -         this point in the best way at Asilomar.
061252 -
061253 -         The aim is to show the need for capturing and integrating key
061254 -         details into the record of daily work, so that small mistakes
061255 -         can be avoided that otherwise grow into major problems, and
061256 -         cause conflict, disputes, claims, lawsuits, losses and
061257 -         downsizing.  Turner of course knows this, but many people who
061258 -         are less sophisticated than Turner don't realize the benefits
061259 -         of writing meeting notes like these for our discussion today.
061260 -         I mentioned, again, the meeting with Marcy at Intel, and her
061261 -         amazement that management details from daily communication
061262 -         could be accurately captured, linked up and checked against
061263 -         the record of prior understandings, contracts, correspondence
061264 -         and so on to avoid drifting off course, ref SDS 18 3004 and at
061265 -         ref SDS 18 0004.
061266 -
061267 -         The idea of a carpenter in coveralls and with his tool box at
061268 -         a meeting with a General and other executives would be an eye
061269 -         opener for most in the audience.
061270 -
061271 -         Telling the carpenter to go build a door based on what is said
061272 -         in the meeting and entered in hand written notes, then seeing
061273 -         that more careful details are needed to carry out the intent
061274 -         of the meeting, could be a simple but powerful way to
061275 -         illustrate the need for DETAILS on the other stuff that is
061276 -         said at the meeting.  We write details for the carpenter so we
061277 -         can see how what we are building fits with everything else and
061278 -         is consistent with the rest of the record, i.e. plans and
061279 -         specs. However, over and over we hear:
061280 -
061281 -                          There isn't enough time
061282 -
061283 -             ...to write the meeting notes that connects things up to
061284 -             contracts, calls, documents, analysis.  Could this be
061285 -             source of the poor management that leads to losses and
061286 -             downsizing.  If technology can help more people capture
061287 -             the details the way Turner does, this could be a boost
061288 -             for the economy, less downsizing and more earnings.
061289 -
061290 -         Darrell feels this might be good to start Turner's
061291 -         presentation, to get everybody ready for the need for a lot
061292 -         of time and expense in performing effective communications.
061293 -
061294 -
061295 -     Communication Success
061296 -
061297 -     Darrell described Turner's plan to explain at Asilomar a
061298 -     successful use of technology.  This fits Sherrill's description in
061299 -     the outline at ref OF 1 line 44, which is reviewed at ref SDS 23
061300 -     0500.
061301 -
061302 -
061303 -         24-Hour Design in 3 Cities via Modem
061304 -
061305 -         He said they have a project in Salt Lake City that is being
061306 -         managed by Turner's SF office.  The architect is in another
061307 -         City. The design has been done the past 8 months under a 24
061308 -         hour regimine where the team in the architect's office works
061309 -         for 8 hours, then transmits the CAD file to an office in Hong
061310 -         Kong or Malasia where they work for 8 hours then send it to
061311 -         another city for 8 hours.  Finally it is returned to the
061312 -         primary office where that shift starts over.
061313 -
061314 -            [This reflects a experience reported by Dave McClure on a
061315 -            project in Saudia Arabia, ref SDS 4 line 743.]
061316 -
061317 -         Expedition
061318 -
061319 -         Darrell said they have a job where Expedition is being used to
061320 -         great advantage to track communications like RFI's, change
061321 -         orders and apparently, by reference, daily correspondence.  I
061322 -         suggested that Turner demonstrate this or at least mention
061323 -         Expedition at Asilomar, showing a variety of efforts to manage
061324 -         communications.
061325 -
061326 -         Steve said Expedition is especially effective for large
061327 -         complex projects where the volume of communications is high.
061328 -         I reviewed Expedition on a Swinerton & Walberg project at ref
061329 -         SDS 1 line 48 and later in a meeting with ICS which markets
061330 -         Expedition, at ref SDS 2 line 214.
061331 -
061332 -         It would be helpful to see Turner's implementation at the
061333 -         jobsite.
061334 -
061335 -            [See follow up at ref SDS 29 line 100, and at ref SDS 32
061336 -            line 333.]
061337 -
061338 -      ..
061339 -     Communication Challenge SFIA Expansion Program
061340 -
061341 -     Darrell explained their current thinking to close by describing
061342 -     the SFO Airport construction program where they are a CM on one of
061343 -     the many projects involved in that major capital improvement.
061344 -
061345 -     Darrell seemed to indicate that actual construction on their
061346 -     project has not yet begun and it is already in trouble, because of
061347 -     complex communications between a variety of CMs, AEs and the
061348 -     owner's Project Manager, O'Brien Krietzberg Associates.  They feel
061349 -     OKA is doing an excellent job under the circumstances, but it is
061350 -     very difficult to maintain shared meaning, role differentiation
061351 -     and scope in the SFO environment.  Proverbial "mission creep"
061352 -     seems to be setting in at various levels within the SFO situation.
061353 -
061354 -           [On 960407 follow up. ref SDS 27 4829]
061355 -
061356 -           [On 960911 report SFIA management fired. ref SDS 35 9043]
061357 -
061358 -           [On 970620 Turner frustrated with new team, ref SDS 36 8945]
061359 -
061360 -           [On 990325 SFIA does not have time to try Communication
061361 -           Metrics.
061362 -
061363 -
061364 -          ..
061365 -         Automated Integration - Details - Summary
061366 -
061367 -         Darrell said the folks at SFO are trying to create a data base
061368 -         that offers better control of the record.
061369 -
061370 -         They described the need to use the Communication Metrics
061371 -         process of automated integration to link summary to details
061372 -         demonstrated to Intel last week, ref SDS 18 line 527.
061373 -
061374 -
061375 -     I mentioned Kwan Henmi's report on 960313 that supports Turner's
061376 -     assessment, ref SDS 7 9943, and offered to assist Turner in
061377 -     improving communications and progress. They seem to feel the
061378 -     overall management structure poses difficulties in using
061379 -     communication support effectively, which is the reason for using
061380 -     Communication Metrics, as described in the NWO paper.  Darrell
061381 -     feels Turner has become defensive.  It would be helpful to apply
061382 -     the pressure of Communication Metrics to avoid exposure and become
061383 -     appropriately proactive in asserting Tuner's interests.
061384 -
061385 -
061386 - Follow Up
061387 -
061388 - We will meet toward the end of the month to see how Turner's outline
061389 - is being finalzed.
061390 -
061391 -
061392 -
061393 -
0614 -
0615 -
0616 - 1539 Delivered to Darrell
0617 -
061701 - I took this over to Turner after playing tennis.  The receptionist
061702 - was not there, so I knocked on the table and asked if anyone is home.
061703 - Darrell answered, he was around the corner preparing some documents.
061704 -
061705 - He took a moment to browse through the notes and felt they were
061706 - comprehensive.
061707 -
061708 -
061709 -
Distribution. . . . See "CONTACTS"