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


S U M M A R Y


DIARY: September 25, 1996 06:45 AM Wednesday; Rod Welch

Visited Tom re SDS training; implementing Communication Metrics.

1...Summary/Objective
2...PG&E Experience Defining Role of Communication Manager
.....Learn to Use SDS Record, before Learning to Capture the Record
3...SDS Training, Conceptual Elements of SDS
...........Managing is Complex, Automated Methods Take Time to Learn
4...Communication Metrics for Port of Oakland Weekly Project Meetings
5...Meeting Notes Edits - 960920
6...COE May Release Mobilization Funds


..............
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CONTACTS 
0201 - Corps of Engineers, SFD            415 977 8400 fax 3449
020101 - Mr. Thompson F. Keesling, Architect, Assistant Chief =415 977 8473
020102 - Construction - Operations Division   =415 977 8480
0202 - PG&E Grid Customer Services        415 972 1014 fax 8426
020201 - Mr. Bill DeHart, PMP
020202 - Project Manager =415 973 1014 pger 510 472 2288; Project Management
0203 - Corps of Engineers, SFD            415 977 8400 fax 8483
020301 - Mr. Max R. Blodgett, II, P.E., L.S.
020302 - Chief =415 977 8444; Construction Operations Division =415 977 8480

SUBJECTS
Corps of Engineers, SFD, Scope
SDS Training, Email, Internet
Weekly Progress Meeting
Managing is Complex, Takes Time to Learn
Assistant Chief, CONOPS, SDS Training for Tom Keesling
Tom Keesling Orientation Training SDS, Meeting Bill DeHart

1108 -    ..
1109 - Summary/Objective
1110 -
111001 - Followed up work at ref SDS 13 0000, ref SDS 11 0000.
111002 -
111003 - We reviewed background using SDS for Communication Metrics. Considered
111004 - ways to support Tom's practice and COE requirements.  Demonstrated how
111005 - SDS works relative to Communication Metrics theory to improve human
111006 - thinking and memory.
111007 -
111008 - Scheduled Welch to attend weekly progress meeting on Port of Oakland
111009 - job next week.
111010 -
111011 -
1111 -
1112 -
1113 - Discusison
1114 -
111401 -  ..
111402 - PG&E Experience Defining Role of Communication Manager
111403 -
111404 - Introduced Bill DeHart, who sponsored SDS at PG&E and is cited in the
111405 - notes of the meeting with CDWR submitted to Tom on Monday, ref SDS 11
111406 - 4766.  Bill explained background on Communication Metrics at PG&E,
111407 - including integration with CPM, ref SDS 13 5897, per Max's comment
111408 - about SDS being discontinued at PG&E, ref SDS 3 4979.
111409 -
111410 -     Tom mentioned consideration of using SDS to track the record based
111411 -     on CPM activity nodes.
111412 -
111413 -     We considered "metrics" as reflecting Tom's request from Rob
111414 -     Andrews with the Port of Oakland for a copy of the authority that
111415 -     calls for the EPA report Rob mentioned at the meeting last week,
111416 -     ref SDS 4 5555.  Bill related how SDS supports this kind of
111417 -     "metric" by linking understandings and requests for action into
111418 -     specific contract provisions.  Tom said he has not yet received
111419 -     the documentation from Rob.
111420 -
111421 -      ..
111422 -     Learn to Use SDS Record, before Learning to Capture the Record
111423 -
111424 -     Bill noted experience at PG&E that accessing information on SDS
111425 -     can be learned fairly quickly.  The wide range of techniques to
111426 -     enter information, create links, associate documents and assign
111427 -     subjects takes more time to learn, so the approach at PG&E was for
111428 -     the Communication Manager to focus on capturing the record in
111429 -     close collaboration with the executive.  Trying to learn new
111430 -     methods and apply them "on the fly" while keeping a heavy schedule
111431 -     of meetings and tasks, is not recommended.
111432 -
111433 -     PG&E has developed a position of "Project Analyst" to support
111434 -     project managers.  The role was designed to support cost and
111435 -     schedule control.  Similar support makes sense for Communication
111436 -     [control] Metrics in light of the travel and meeting schedule of
111437 -     PG&E Project Managers, which may apply at COE.
111438 -
111439 - ..
111440 - We considered Max's ideas to use Communication Metrics per
111441 - discussion yesterday, ref SDS 13 4454.
111442 -
111443 -         DMMO
111444 -
111445 -         Port of Oakland weekly progress meetings with Contractor.
111446 -
111447 -      Tom is thinking of trying SDS on a pending COE project with the
111448 -      Port of Richmond.
111449 -
111450 -          [On 960926 Tom Benero made same point, ref SDS 17 8445
111451 -
111452 -
111453 -  ..
111454 - SDS Training, Conceptual Elements of SDS
111455 -
111456 - Demonstrated SDS program, using the record from a meeting with
111457 - PG&E/CDWR on 940901. ref SDS 1 9009.
111458 -
111459 -      We used the conference room and so could lay out on the large
111460 -      drawing board the elements of SDS, and the flow of the processes
111461 -      it supports.
111462 -
111463 -
111464 -           Managing is Complex, Automated Methods Take Time to Learn
111465 -
111466 -           A key but subtle aspect of learning SDS is that managers
111467 -           actually know a lot more about "managing" than they realize,
111468 -           because they learn it on the job over a period of 20 - 40
111469 -           years.  SDS applies technology so "management tasks" can be
111470 -           performed more quickly, accurately and consistently.  But,
111471 -           to suddenly be confronted with a long list of steps to do
111472 -           that people already know how to do manually without thinking
111473 -           about them, is burdensome, even overwhelming.  So it makes
111474 -           sense to use a specialist to transition people through a
111475 -           learning curve, while getting the important work done of
111476 -           performing Communication Metrics.
111477 -
111478 -
111479 -      Tom used the computer to see how information can be obtained in
111480 -      SDS by clicking on various parts of the screen.
111481 -
111482 -      He recognized a key design criteria of converting information
111483 -      into alternate forms:  from scheduled task to Diary record, and
111484 -      using a Diary to schedule a new task that is then automatically
111485 -      linked to its history.
111486 -
111487 -      Tom asked if "Analysis" in SDS records is submitted to the
111488 -      Contractor, in the event that COE and the Contractor "share" SDS
111489 -      records?
111490 -
111491 -          Typically "analysis" would not be released to the Contractor
111492 -          under the practice that the owner/agency would seek to retain
111493 -          "command and control" of the record.
111494 -
111495 -          This is another role of the Communication Manager as a
111496 -          skilled contracts "expert" who can craft the record according
111497 -          to the intended distribution.
111498 -
111499 -          Procedures of "sharing" SDS records with a contractor needs
111500 -          careful consideration.  It was raised by Max at the 960105
111501 -          meeting, ref SDS 2 line 158.
111502 -
111503 -
111504 -
1116 -

SUBJECTS
Assignments, COE/Welch Discuss, Review
Weekly Progress Meeting
Communication Metrics
Port of Oakland Meeting Notes
Analysis Organization, Intelligence
Discover, Learn What has Happened

1909 - 1138 discussion with Tom
1910 -
191001 -  ..
191002 - Communication Metrics for Port of Oakland Weekly Project Meetings
191003 -
191004 - When I delivered the finalized notes of the meeting with Dutra......
191005 - ref SDS 9 0000, containing Tom's edits (see below), ref SDS 14 0000,
191006 - Tom advised I should attend progress meeting at the Port of Oakland
191007 - with the Contractor, beginning next week, following up discussion with
191008 - Max yesterday. ref SDS 13 4454
191009 -
191010 - I can ride with Marc McGovern.
191011 -
191012 - He will advise by email the date and time.
191013 -
191014 -    [On 960926 Tom Benero, Contracting Officer, concurs Communication
191015 -    Metrics should be applied to Oakland Harbor project. ref SDS 17
191016 -    7793
191017 -
191018 -
191019 -
191020 -
191021 -
1911 -

SUBJECTS
Present COE Analysis to Contractor; Hear

2304 - 0742 Discussion with Max
2305 -
230501 - Meeting Notes Edits - 960920
230502 -
230503 - Received and reviewed with Tom his edits on notes of meeting with
230504 - Dutra on 960920, ref SDS 9 line 59, prepared at ref SDS 12 line 43 and
230505 - sent via email, ref DIP 1 line 27 and also delivered to Tom yesterday
230506 - at ref SDS 13 line 217.
230507 -
230508 -
230509 -  ..
230510 - COE May Release Mobilization Funds
230511 -
230512 - Max advised of status on review of Contractor's request to increase
230513 - the portion of mobilization pay item to release for mobilization, and
230514 - to decrease the amount retained for demobilization, ref SDS 9 6206
230515 -
230516 - In a meeting yesterday with the Colonel, Tom Benero, Max and the
230517 - Contractor, COE agreed to retain the amount submitted by the
230518 - Contractor, plus an additional 15%, to be paid for demobilization. COE
230519 - will release the remainder of funds in the Mobilization pay item.
230520 -
230521 - The Contractor agreed to change the sequence of dredging operations
230522 - to comply with request of Port of Oakland.
230523 -
230524 - Max suggesting checking with Tom Benero on the third issue covered in
230525 - the meeting with the Contractor.
230526 -
230527 -      [See follow up with Tom Benero, ref SDS 16 line 121.]
230528 -
230529 -
2306 -
2307 -
2308 - 0818 Discussion with Tom Benero
2309 -
230901 - While Tom Keesling and I were looking at SDS in the Conference room, a
230902 - group came in for a meeting.  Tom Benero was among this group so I
230903 - mentioned the discussion with Max, and whether I could get a copy of
230904 - the Contractor's letter requesting early release of a greater portion
230905 - of the Mobilization pay item.
230906 -
230907 - Tom said there have been further changes since yesterday.  He asked me
230908 - to see him after his meeting.
230909 -
230910 -     [See follow up at ref SDS 15 line 60.]
230911 -
230912 -
Distribution. . . . See "CONTACTS"