CONTACTS 
0201 - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers         217 373 7216 800 872 2375
020101 - Dr. Moonja Kim, Ph.D.; Chief
020102 - Business Processes Division, CERL-PL-B
020103 - Description

SUBJECTS
COE Evaluation Communication Metrics
Analysis, Review, Research
Institutionalize Communication Metrics
CE HQ Evaluation, Wider Use Comm Metrics
Change Management, HQ
Usefull Technology Must be Used by

1308 -    ..
1309 - Summary/Objective
1310 -
131001 - Followed up work at ref SDS 11 0000, ref SDS 10 0000.
131002 -
131003 - CERL has completed initial review of Communication Metrics and wants
131004 - to review SDS toward evaluating a fit with USACE research objectives.
131005 - Moonja will write a letter to Jim Jones advising of potential synergy
131006 - between USACE and Welch work, and request authorization for the SDS
131007 - demonstration.
131008 -
131009 - Submitted initial test memo to Moonja, and received reply.
131010 -
131011 -     [See telecon with Jim later today, ref SDS 14 0439.]
131012 -
131013 -     [Submitted this record on 971105. ref SDS 15 0000]
131014 -
131015 -
131016 -  ..
1311 -
1312 -
1313 - Discussion Dr. Moonja Kim               217 373-6791
1314 -
131401 - USACE Researcher Reported Merit in Communication Metrics
131402 -
131403 - Moonja said her researcher has reported that Communication Metrics
131404 - "sounds great" so they want to see the SDS technology that supports
131405 - the methodology.
131406 -
131407 - The researcher makes the point that Jim Jones cites on the need to
131408 - investigate the viability of estimated savings in the face of the cost
131409 - to perform Communication Metrics.
131410 -
131411 -     Another thing that probably needs to be done is to estimate the
131412 -     cost of Communication Metrics, if performed by USACE staff.
131413 -
131414 -     Estimates so far reflect the cost of prototype testing, which
131415 -     necessarily is higher because of outside contracting.  We have not
131416 -     focused on this aspect of costing because we need more experience
131417 -     to discover how it fits with USACE culture, and this takes
131418 -     application by someone with a strong interest to make it work.
131419 -
131420 -
131421 -  ..
131422 - USACE Pursuing Similar Research Objectives to Improve Management
131423 -
131424 - Moonja indicated that USACE's "Knowledge Worker System" (KWS) may be
131425 - able to accomplish some of the support needed for Communication
131426 - Metrics.
131427 -
131428 - She also feels USACE has a "Claims Guidance System" which supports
131429 - training on dispute issues in applying contracts, and so may be useful
131430 - for Communication Metrics.
131431 -
131432 - I asked how much time each day she uses these systems?
131433 -
131434 - Moonja said she understands they are used on some projects, and seemed
131435 - to indicate that a private vendor has inquired about making the Claims
131436 - Guidance Systen into a commercial program.
131437 -
131438 - We considered a key attribute of management software is that it can be
131439 - used all day by everyone.  This requires a technology that lifts the
131440 - capacity to think, remember and communicate, since these are the
131441 - fundamentals of "knowledge" creation, which is the essence of
131442 - management, as explained in my paper...
131443 -
131444 -          POIMS, Automated Management for the 21st Century
131445 -
131446 -    ...delivered at PMI's annual symposium in Vancouver, BC, in October
131447 -    1994, ref OF 1 line 81.  The same point is made in CESPN report on
131448 -    Communication Metrics, dated 970328, ref DRP 1 line 123.
131449 -
131450 - Communication Metrics is the management science that results from
131451 - applying POIMS technology.  SDS is a first generation POIMS program.
131452 - It sounds like KWS and CGS may provide some POIMS capability.
131453 -
131454 - Moonja asked if the SDS program supports AI?
131455 -
131456 - I explained my sense that AI is not a useful direction, at least for
131457 - the practice of management, because it cannot accomodate the dynamics
131458 - of a busy day.  My view is that "artificial intelligence" is less
131459 - valuable than the ability to generate and retrieve real knowledge at
131460 - the pace of daily business activity.  So far, only SDS can do this, as
131461 - explained in the POIMS paper, ref OF 1 line 30.
131462 -
131463 - Moonja feels USACE research and the Welch work have a basis for
131464 - investigating synergy in achieving common objectives. She asked about
131465 - the status of discussions with Jim.
131466 -
131467 -
131468 -  ..
131469 - CEMP-E Requested Review by CESP of Cost Savings Potential
131470 -
131471 - I explained recent efforts to engage Mike Grebenski, Chief of
131472 - Construction for CESP, in finding a suitable project for further
131473 - testing of Communication Metrics. I understood that Jim asked Mike to
131474 - report on the potential of Communication Metrics to support recent
131475 - cost savings goals set by HQ, ref SDS 9 line 664.
131476 -
131477 - Moonja recalled that RMS gained momentum when a Division Chief wrote
131478 - to the Chief of Engineers, recommending wider application.  This
131479 - reflects Jim's idea to develop faith in Communication Metrics, ref SDS
131480 - 9 line 618.
131481 -
131482 -
131483 -  ..
131484 - USACE Research Programs have Possible Fit with Communication Metrics
131485 -
131486 - Moonja suggested there are several areas where Communincation Metrics
131487 - might be evaluated to advance USACE research:
131488 -
131489 -     1.  Change Management                  ref SDS 8 3489
131490 -     2.  Claims Guidance System
131491 -     3.  Knowledge Worker System
131492 -
131493 -   [On 971119 Jim Jones cited possible "partnering" potentials in the
131494 -   record at ref SDS 18 1718.]
131495 -
131496 - I mentioned recent initiatives submitted to Jim Jones and Tom
131497 - Keesling:
131498 -
131499 -     1.  Common Administration              ref SDS 10 1774
131500 -     2.  Concurrent Dispute Resolution      ref SDS 10 5885
131501 -     3.  Partnering                         ref SDS 10 8886
131502 -     4.  Intranets                          ref SDS 12 1209
131503 -
131504 -
131505 -  ..
131506 - Demonstrate SDS Program Next Step to Evaluate Research Potential
131507 -
131508 - We considered the idea that Moonja write a letter to Jim and/or Tom
131509 - Keesling, explaining preliminary review by CERL PL-B of CESPN reports
131510 - on Communication Metrics.  Explain potential for Communication Metrics
131511 - to support promising USACE research and that review of the SDS
131512 - software is recommended by CERL PL-B in order to investigage cost
131513 - savings potential identified by CESPN's report.
131514 -
131515 - Moonja asked if I would charge for the demonstration.  She said that
131516 - vendors often visit CERL at no charge to show their software.  I
131517 - explained I am a small business that needs money.  If USACE can pay
131518 - for me to visit CERL, it would be helpful.  If there is a policy
131519 - problem, then I can finance the trip to Moonja's office.
131520 -
131521 -
131522 -     Should Demo be in Washington D.C.?
131523 -
131524 -     We did not discuss the prospect of doing this demo in Washington
131525 -     D.C., so that Jim and others can see the demo as well.  This would
131526 -     enable our discussions to be better grounded.
131527 -
131528 -
131529 -     Tom Keesling May Be Valuable Support for Demonstration
131530 -
131531 -     It would also be appropriate for Tom Keesling to participate in
131532 -     the demonstration, since he is the local sponsor and lead USACE
131533 -     rep on this issue. Tom's assignment in the District to implement
131534 -     automated systems provides applicable experience on integrating
131535 -     existing USACE systems.
131536 -
131537 -     Of course it is not essential for Tom to do this.
131538 -     ..
131539 -     One advantage is that Tom was initially skeptical of
131540 -     Communication Metrics even after seeing the demonstration of SDS,
131541 -     ref SDS 1 4454.  He can explain the difference between
131542 -     expectations from a demonstration and the stronger impact that
131543 -     daily Communication Metrics support provides, ref SDS 2 8888.
131544 -
131545 -         [See planning to invite Tom from discussion with Jim on
131546 -         971119, ref SDS 17 1441.]
131547 -
131548 -         [On 971226 no notice was given to Tom through official
131549 -         channels. ref SDS 19 2722
131550 -
131551 -         [At 971202 meeting in HQUSACE, attendees asked for Tom's
131552 -         input. ref SDS 20 1955]
131553 -
131554 - I will submit this record to Moonja and a draft letter proposing
131555 - language to consider pursuing this initiative.
131556 -
131557 -
1316 -
1317 -
1318 - 1308 Submitted Test Message
1319 -
131901 - Moonja said she was unable to send me an Internet message.  She gave
131902 - me her Internet address and I sent her a test message.
131903 -
131904 - Got a reply back saying she is out of the office until 971107.
131905 -
131906 -
131907 -
1320 -
1321 -
1322 - 2205 received Email from Moonja
1323 -
132301 - She received my test message.
132302 -
132303 - She is in Wasnington, D.C., and called me from there this afternoon.
132304 - which is why I got the message that she is out until Friday.  Moonja
132305 - does not indicate if she visited with Jim, per telecon this afternoon
132306 - at ref SDS 14 line 267.
132307 -
132308 - Decided to prepare a draft memo on the SDS demonstration to facilitate
132309 - Moonja's letter to Jim, ref OF 4 line 20.
132310 -
132311 -    [Submitted on 971105 at ref SDS 15 line 86.]
132312 -
132313 -    [See call on 971113 where Moonja didn't have enough time to read
132314 -    the letter and issue it to Jim, ref SDS 16 line 174.]
132315 -
132316 -
1324 -
1325 -