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


S U M M A R Y


DIARY: May 15, 1996 01:30 PM Wednesday; Rod Welch

Meeting with Turner on Asilomar presentation.

1...Summary/Objective
2...Turner Has 45 - 60 Minutes for its Presentation
3...Legal "Metrics" Yield Effective Communications
......Managers Devote a Lot of Time "Putting Out Fires"
......Technology Makes Concurrent Discovery Practical
......Traceability is a Well Established Metric
4...Coordinating "Business Case" with "Legal Case" for Communications
5...Turner's Communication Methods Needed by Non-Construction Sectors
6...Better Communications Helps Overcome Lack of Contract Authority
7...Turner's Tools and Examples - Steve will Check with Darrell
8...Turner's Technology Objectives to Improve Communications
......Automated Notebook - "Paperless Office"
......Moch Progress Meeting Could Illustrate...
......Linking Summary to Details
......Creating Management Details in Knowledge Space
......Steve described an automated notebook with Newton type
......Internet Applications Still Evolving
......Intel Has New Ideas
9...Review Meeting with Intel - May 24; Turner Can Attend
10...Apply and Test PMBOK on Leadership & Technology
11...Papers and Handouts to Attendees
12...Turner Accommodations, Notify Sherrill McDonald


..............
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CONTACTS 
0202 - Turner Const. SF                   415 274 2900 fax 989 1370                                                                                                       O-00000110 0401

SUBJECTS
Turner, Alan Wetzel, Steve Rule

0403 -    ..
0404 - Summary/Objective
0405 -
040501 - Follow up work at ref SDS 26 line 132, ref SDS 21 line 98.
040502 -
040503 - Confirmed Turner has 45 - 60 minutes for its presentation.  Decided to
040504 - schedule a meeting in two weeks between Turner and TMJ&B rep, Dave
040505 - Buoncristiani, to coordinate presentations.  Turner will try to have a
040506 - paper ready by 960530, so PMI publishers can prepare event binders for
040507 - attendees.  Steve is checking with Darrell on Turner technology and
040508 - projects to cite as examples at Asilomar.  Turner can attend a meeting
040509 - on 960524 to see Intel's initial Asilomar presentation and offer
040510 - input.  PMI will furnish PMBOK materials to Turner so they can cite it
040511 - if they wish in their presentation.  Steve will let Sherrill McDonald
040512 - know about the number in Turner's party for Asilomar reservations.
040513 -
040514 -
040515 -    [Submitted confirmation letter to Turner ref SDS 31 line 71; see
040516 -    follow up meeting at ref SDS 34 line 114.]
040517 -
040518 -
0406 -
0407 -
0408 - Discussion
0409 -
040901 - Turner Has 45 - 60 Minutes for its Presentation
040902 -
040903 - Per Steve's question on May 3, ref SDS 25 line 115, Bill advised that
040904 - 90 minutes has been allotted for David Buoncristiani and Turner to
040905 - present their material. This can be split as 60 minutes for Turner and
040906 - 30 minutes for David. Steve said Turner has been planning on 45
040907 - minutes, so the remaining 15 minutes can be used for questions, or
040908 - given to Dave if he needs it.
040909 -
040910 -
040911 -
040912 -
0410 -

SUBJECTS
Legal Metrics, Concurrent Discovery
Mistakes, Impact on Meeting Objectives
Cognitive Science, Induced Errors, Discovered by SDS
Traceability to Original Sources
Management productivity
Risk Management, Avoid Mistakes on

1309 -
130901 -  ..
130902 - Legal "Metrics" Yield Effective Communications
130903 -
130904 - Bill noted that David Buoncristiani and the TMJ&B firm specialize in
130905 - construction litigation, primarily representing contractors like
130906 - Turner.  David will present the legal practice of discovery that
130907 - reveals through long, expensive effort that managers make a lot of
130908 - errors due to miss-communication, shown in conflicting documentation
130909 - and testimony.
130910 - ..
130911 - Dr. Brusman and Dr. Landauer will not be making presentations at
130912 - Asilomar; however, Dr. Landauer's work in particular shows the human
130913 - mind is "wired" to make errors of induction, in order to accomplish a
130914 - larger purpose of accelerated learning, cited in the draft letter
130915 - submitted to Turner on 960502, ref DIP 4 line 244, at ref SDS 24 line
130916 - 134.
130917 -
130918 - Turner's communication methods comprise a set of manual "metrics" to
130919 - avoid misunderstandings, but the volume and pace of daily information
130920 - compounds the chance for errors to occur.   A practice of "concurrent
130921 - discovery" (discussed with Steve on 960503, ref SDS 25 line 107) can
130922 - be used by managers to check a broader range of communications while
130923 - the work is being done, similar to concurrent engineering, so more
130924 - mistakes are avoided that cause conflict, losses, disputes, claims,
130925 - litigation, and downsizing, ref SDS 11 line 193.
130926 -
130927 -          [On 960518 analysis of Landauer's paper describing "meaning
130928 -          drift" ref SDS 32 3734.]
130929 -
130930 -          [On 960620 paper for Dave Buoncristiani at ref SDS 35 line
130931 -          161.]
130932 -
130933 -
130934 -       ..
130935 -      Managers Devote a Lot of Time "Putting Out Fires"
130936 -      Technology Makes Concurrent Discovery Practical
130937 -
130938 -      Technology expedites legal "metrics" that measure accuracy and
130939 -      completeness of understandings from daily communications.  The
130940 -      process, called "traceability to align communications" in the New
130941 -      World Order... paper, keeps the team on course, and supports
130942 -      Turner's role as a "Communication Manager."  Steve said a lot of
130943 -      his time is devoted to "putting out fires."
130944 -
130945 -
130946 -      Traceability is a Well Established Metric
130947 -
130948 -      Turner's success over decades in the construction business shows
130949 -      the benefits of traceability to original sources, per discussion
130950 -      at the 960125 meeting, ref SDS 8 line 281.  Turner can also cite
130951 -      its Quality program and Risk Management objectives, as well as
130952 -      emerging business standards under ISO 10006 to connect daily
130953 -      understandings to original sources, such as contracts, laws,
130954 -      documents, calls and meetings:  all support applying Turner's
130955 -      communication practices more widely, as called out in the NWO...
130956 -      paper under authority of "religious" and legal disciplines.
130957 -
130958 -
130959 -
130960 -
1310 -

SUBJECTS
Order of Speakers, Flow of Ideas
Concurrent Discovery
Moch Progress Meeting, Illustrate Managing
Construction Cultural Moorings
Leadership with Authority Supported by SDS
Contracts Mandate Consistent Use,
Contract Notice Provisions Align People

2110 -
211001 - Coordinating "Business Case" with "Legal Case" for Communications
211002 -
211003 - Bill suggested that the flow of building these ideas at Asilomar might
211004 - work better if Turner presents the business case for the Communication
211005 - Manager role, ahead of David's "metrics" presentation based on the
211006 - legal profession.
211007 -
211008 - Steve feels Turner would not object to that.
211009 -
211010 - We will try to set a meeting with David Buoncristiani and Turner
211011 - sometime over the next several weeks to coordinate scope.
211012 -
211013 -
211014 -
211015 - Turner's Communication Methods Needed by Non-Construction Sectors
211016 -
211017 - Bill noted that much of the audience at Asilomar will include project
211018 - managers outside the construction industry, ref SDS 8 line 233.  They
211019 - are unfamiliar with communication methods needed in high risk work
211020 - because their projects are internal, and so are not governed by
211021 - contract; their project managers have little authority.  Turner's
211022 - presentation is critical to these industries because a global economy
211023 - caused by the compression of time and distance is beginning to bring
211024 - the competitiveness to those markets, that for a long time has existed
211025 - in construction, such that the difference between survival and failure
211026 - is predicated solely on the quality of the management team, as
211027 - advantages in technology dissipate.
211028 -
211029 -      [On 960301 Peter Drucker makes this point in his book "The
211030 -      Practice of Management" ref SDS 9 9640]
211031 -
211032 - Steve related how lack of contractual authority on internal projects
211033 - in other industries is similar to the lateral relationship Turner has
211034 - with architects.  He noted though that some Turner projects involve
211035 - arrangements where the architect is a subcontractor, and so control is
211036 - stronger.  He will speak to this at Asilomar.  Possibly Turner can
211037 - pose a model of how to emulate on internal projects, the contractual
211038 - authority they have on external contracts, as was done at PG&E for
211039 - awhile a number of years ago.
211040 -
211041 -
211042 -
2111 -

SUBJECTS
Construction Cultural Moorings
Downsizing Solution
Reengineer Management to be More
Technology & Leadership Today
Internal management

2708 -
270801 -  ..
270802 - Better Communications Helps Overcome Lack of Contract Authority
270803 -
270804 - The lack of contractual authority means that technology to build and
270805 - maintain shared meaning, i.e., communicate, is vital to other sectors
270806 - because they do not have the cultural history that has occurred in
270807 - construction.  Other industries have not yet discovered and codified
270808 - the steps, in General Conditions and legal precedents, needed for
270809 - accurate and timely communications.  They haven't yet learned and have
270810 - no pressure nor incentive to invest time to avoid mistakes by using a
270811 - "Communication Manager," as the shortest path to success.  Downsizing
270812 - and incessant pressures of the Information Highway, ref SDS 15 line
270813 - 140, are making other industries more ready to hear about methods like
270814 - submittal logs and RFI's which previously were seen as "overkill" ref
270815 - SDS 2 line 372, and ref SDS 1 line 83, Technology that speeds up and
270816 - improves these processes, cited by Darrell and Steve at the meeting on
270817 - April 5 to achieve a "Paperless Office," can help leaders at all
270818 - levels become more effective communicators, ref SDS 15 line 183.
270819 -
270820 -
270821 -
270822 - Turner's Tools and Examples - Steve will Check with Darrell
270823 -
270824 - Steve plans to make the presentation on how Turner communicates today,
270825 - the methods they use, and challenges and opportunities that arise in
270826 - the modern era of faster technology.
270827 -
270828 - He is coordinating with Darrell on citing their project where design
270829 - is being done in 3 different cities around the world on a 24 hour
270830 - cycle, using email to transmit drawings, per meeting on 960405, ref
270831 - SDS 15 line 271.  This point can be strengthened by comparing with
270832 - using a 24 hour shift at a single location.
270833 -
270834 - Expedition may be mentioned as a tool Turner uses on some projects,
270835 - per discussion at ref SDS 15 line 285.
270836 -
270837 - Turner uses Lotus Notes as a contacts data base to support marketing.
270838 - Steve seemed to mention some other uses in connection with estimating,
270839 - but it is not clear whether LN will be presented as part of Turner's
270840 - communication technology for leadership.
270841 -
270842 - The SFO project is an example where the owner needs communication
270843 - support. ref SDS 15 7461
270844 -
270845 -
270846 -
270847 -
2709 -

SUBJECTS
Paperless Office
Automated Notebook
Link Summary to Details
Details, Construction Design
Summary Linked to Details

3208 -
320801 -  ..
320802 - Turner's Technology Objectives to Improve Communications
320803 -
320804 - Steve advised that Kavender will present Turner's objectives for
320805 - technology to improve communication methods.
320806 -
320807 -
320808 -       ..
320809 -      Automated Notebook - "Paperless Office"
320810 -
320811 -      Bill mentioned the idea of an automated notebook, which was David
320812 -      Vannier's objective for Intel in the 1991 Byte article on the
320813 -      "Paperless Office."
320814 -
320815 -      Steve indicated that would be helpful to hear about at Asilomar,
320816 -      per our discussions at the meeting on 960405. ref SDS 15 0940
320817 -
320818 -      What progress has been made since 1991, and how exactly should it
320819 -      work?
320820 -
320821 -      During the meeting today Steve and Bill used a regular notepad,
320822 -      which is the management method still being used at Intel, per
320823 -      meeting on 950927, ref SDS 4 7732
320824 -
320825 -
320826 -       ..
320827 -      Moch Progress Meeting Could Illustrate...
320828 -      Linking Summary to Details
320829 -      Creating Management Details in Knowledge Space
320830 -
320831 -      We considered capturing details of "management" as carefully as
320832 -      details are prepared for constructing the work, per research on
320833 -      951026 showing firms cannot accomplish the ISO requirement for
320834 -      traceability. ref SDS 5 3384
320835 -
320836 -      Last month we talked about a mock progress meeting to illustrate
320837 -      this point, ref SDS 15 1555; however, it may not be practical to
320838 -      do that at Asilomar this year.
320839 -
320840 -      Steve said construction details are prepared with care to ensure
320841 -      accuracy so work can be performed correctly the first time.
320842 -      Accurate, complete records also enable future changes that might
320843 -      be needed, i.e., work performed today impacts the future.
320844 -      Traditional notepads that managers use are less rigorous because
320845 -      it takes time and costs a lot money to capture management work in
320846 -      the way that an architect details how a door, for example, is to
320847 -      be constructed.  Technology lowers the cost by reducing the time
320848 -      needed to help managers do a better job of "detailing" how their
320849 -      work is to be performed.  Steve recalled this idea is developed
320850 -      in the New World Order... paper published in the May, 1996
320851 -      PMNETwork, under a new science of "Communication Metrics." ref OF
320852 -      1 line 69.
320853 -
320854 -         [See follow up discussion with Dave Buoncristiani at ref SDS
320855 -         33 9954.]
320856 -
320857 -         [On 960620 incorporated "knowledge space" into paper on
320858 -         Documents, Dialog and Human Memory... ref SDS 35 3516]
320859 -
320860 -      Bill explained the meeting with Intel on 960326 where Marcy said
320861 -      they primarily use a "foil," prepared using Powerpoint, to
320862 -      summarize communications (e.g., a meeting, call, email, document,
320863 -      etc.), on a single page in a few bullets, ref SDS 14 line 196.
320864 -      This reflects David Vannier's comments at the 960103 meeting that
320865 -      information moves too fast for executives to track content, so
320866 -      they rely on evaluating the speaker, ref SDS 7 line 289 (see
320867 -      notes submitted to Turner via 960113 letter as ref d, see ref DIP
320868 -      2 line 26).
320869 -      ..
320870 -      Steve described an automated notebook with Newton type
320871 -      capability for a superintendent to enter notes in the field, call
320872 -      up design drawings, send a request to an engineer about work
320873 -      placed differently from plan details due to field conditions and
320874 -      then get a timely response.  We considered ideas discussed with
320875 -      Intel and Fluor Daniel for an organizing structure and a way to
320876 -      quickly access information through a summary connected to
320877 -      details, ref SDS 14 line 541 and ref SDS 17 line 903.
320878 -
320879 -      Is this the ultimate "automated notebook" Dave Vannier said Intel
320880 -      was working to create?  How close are we to achieving it.  What
320881 -      steps are needed to reach it?  When will the future arrive? These
320882 -      are serious questions for Asilomar.
320883 -
320884 -          [At 960627 meeting with Intel, this idea was discussed with
320885 -          Dave Vannier for Asilomar presentation. ref SDS 36 6039]
320886 -
320887 -          [Dave Vannier reported at Asilomar that notebook computers
320888 -          are not useful for managers at Intel, ref SDS 37 1552.]
320889 -
320890 -
320891 -
3209 -

SUBJECTS
Internet, Information Revolution
Failed Communications, Anger, Frustrations,

3705 -
370501 -       ..
370502 -      Internet Applications Still Evolving
370503 -
370504 -      Steve related an experience where he tried to do research on the
370505 -      Internet.  He found a Web site that was represented to provide
370506 -      what he needed.  He mentioned something about the Library of
370507 -      Congress, so possibly he was trying to access a volume on file
370508 -      there.  When he finally accessed the site, however, the
370509 -      information he needed was not available.
370510 -
370511 -      Bill mentioned the frustration Steve experienced is observed in
370512 -      Clifford Stoll's book, "Silicon Snake Oil" that describes the
370513 -      internet as primarily "infotainment" in seeking to lure users
370514 -      with the promise of useful information, but holding them as
370515 -      paying customers with entertainment, per ref SDS 22 line 81.
370516 -      Intel, however, seems to be making greater use of the Internet.
370517 -
370518 -
370519 -      Intel Has New Ideas
370520 -
370521 -      Dave Vannier recently explained an exciting methodology of
370522 -      providing access for Intel's people via internet, to management
370523 -      information from business meetings, per ref SDS 28 line 191.
370524 -
370525 -      Another useful purpose of the internet is keeping Bill's SDS
370526 -      records updated.
370527 -
370528 -
370529 -
370530 -
3706 -

SUBJECTS
Intel, David Vannier

3804 -
380401 - Review Meeting with Intel - May 24; Turner Can Attend
380402 -
380403 - PMI is meeting with Intel on 960524 at 1000 in Santa Clara where they
380404 - will show their "rev 0" presentation on Asilomar.  This will indicate
380405 - what Intel is working on to improve the partnership between leadership
380406 - and technology over the next 5 years or so.
380407 -
380408 - Steve and other reps from Turner are welcome to attend, if they wish
380409 - to offer ideas on what would be helpful for end users to hear about at
380410 - Asilomar.
380411 -
380412 -
380413 -
380414 -
3805 -

SUBJECTS
PMBOK, ISO 10006 Compliance
Construction Cultural Moorings

4105 -
410501 -  ..
410502 - Apply and Test PMBOK on Leadership & Technology
410503 -
410504 - We briefly considered the goal for speakers at Asilomar to apply PMI's
410505 - "Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge,"  called the
410506 - PMBOK, discussed with Turner at the 951116 meeting, ref SDS 6 line
410507 - 170.  The PMBOK defines...
410508 -
410509 -      "leadership" in section 2.4.1 as aligning people through
410510 -      communications.
410511 -
410512 -      "Communication" is explained in section 2.4.2 and "Communication
410513 -      Management" which is Turner's role as Communication Manager, is
410514 -      set out in section 10.
410515 -
410516 - Bill explained the Asilomar committee's determination this year to
410517 - call on a construction firm to bring the membership back to its
410518 - cultural roots in applying these ideas in a practical, meaningful way.
410519 - Turner has expertise and credibility to effectively accomplish this
410520 - goal.
410521 -
410522 - Steve renewed the request for the PMP test cards, made at the 960125
410523 - meeting, ref SDS 8 line 497.  Will also submit Dr. Landauer's book
410524 - "The Trouble with Computers" which Steve requested at that meeting,
410525 - ref SDS 8 line 530.
410526 -
410527 - PMI will furnish a copy of the PMBOK to supplement the review
410528 - submitted to Turner as attachment c to the 950925 letter, ref DIP 1
410529 - line 31.
410530 -
410531 -     [See follow up at ref SDS 31 line 74.]
410532 -
410533 -
410534 -
4106 -

SUBJECTS
Seminar Binder

4304 -
430401 - Papers and Handouts to Attendees
430402 -
430403 - Steve is expecting to get their final paper ready for Asilomar by
430404 - 960615, per the telecon on 960503 regarding a prototype paper, at ref
430405 - SDS 25 line 137, Bill indicated it would helpful for the printers who
430406 - are preparing materials for attendees, for it to be ready by the end
430407 - of May.
430408 -
430409 - Turner is considering not submitting a detailed paper in advance of
430410 - the event, since it could be distracting to attendees.  Their idea
430411 - would be to give it out during their presentation.
430412 -
430413 - Bill advised that this is entirely Turner's call.  PMI wants to
430414 - accomplish Russ Oberlander's point about coordinating presentations
430415 - and ensuring attendees get something useful that will help them assess
430416 - and implement ideas they hear at the Conference, ref SDS 8 line 704.
430417 - One goal of the papers is to spawn questions and issues attendees can
430418 - ask.  Steve will provide an explanation of Turner and other materials
430419 - they want included in the event binder. PMI already has the
430420 - biographies.
430421 -
430422 - PMI can assist in drafting a paper, if time or personnel are difficult
430423 - to marshal for this task, per 960502 letter to Turner at ref DIP 4
430424 - line 41.
430425 -
430426 -
430427 -
4305 -

SUBJECTS
Asilomar
Reservations for Speakers

450401 - Turner Accommodations, Notify Sherrill McDonald
450402 -
450403 - Steve indicated Darrell may have a schedule conflict on July 13, when
450404 - Turner is giving its presentation, and so may not attend Asilomar.
450405 -
450406 - Steve will submit to Sherrill McDonald the names and number of people
450407 - in Turner's party, so reservations can be made for rooms and meals.
450408 -
450409 -
450410 -
4505 -