CONTACTS 
0201 - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers                                                                                                                                       O-00000632 0202
020101 - San Francisco District                                                                                                                                           O-00000632 0202
020102 - Mr. Thompson F. Keesling, Architect; Assistant Chief                                                                                                             O-00000632 0202
020103 - Construction Operations Division                                                                                                                                 O-00000632 0202
0202 - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers                                                                                                                                       O-00000632 0201
020201 - San Francisco District                                                                                                                                           O-00000632 0201
020202 - Mr. Max R. Blodgett, II, P.E., L.S.
020203 - Construction Operations Division                                                                                                                                 O-00000632 0201
020204 - Mr. Roger K. Golden; Project Manager
020205 - Project Management Division                                                                                                                                      O-00000632 0304

SUBJECTS
Humbolt PM, Construction Launch
Reduced Paper handling
Planning
Construction Management
Cost Avoidance on Claims

1507 -
1507 -    ..
1508 - Summary/Objective
1509 -
150901 - Follow up ref SDS 65 0000, ref SDS 63 0000.
150902 -
150903 - Meeting with Major Blechinger was deferred.  Met Roger Golden and
150904 - discussed Communication Metrics for Humbolt, including planning for
150905 - Construction Launch.  Max asked about IBM's business intelligence
150906 - initiative, which was reviewed with the District last year.
150908 -  ..
150909 - Submitted ref DIT 1 0000 to Tom, with copy to Max and Roger Golden.
150910 - Included link to this record.
150911 -
150913 -  ..
1510 -
1511 -
1512 - Discussion
151301 -  ..
151302 - Major Blechinger Delayed
151303 -
151304 - Tom said that Major Blechinger was delayed so we discussed objectives
151305 - of Communication Metrics for the District, based on meeeting with
151306 - Merry, 990202. ref SDS 63 4080
151307 -
151308 -     [Meeting was held oa 1545. ref SDS 66 0000]
151309 -
151311 -  ..
151312 - Roger will Review Communication Metrics for Humbolt Project
151313 -
151314 - Tom introduced Roger Golden, who is the Project Manager for the
151315 - Humbolt project.  We also met with Max for awhile.
151316 -
151317 - Tom loaned Roger the District's report on Communication Metrics....,
151318 - ref DRP 1 6172, and pointed out Herb Cheong's memo on 960407 that
151319 - explains how this helps the Project Manager. ref DRP 1 0659
151321 -  ..
151322 - Appendix E in the report has a scope of services that might work for
151323 - Humbolt. ref DRP 1 4929
151325 -  ..
151326 - Communication Metrics can help in organizing the teams and planning
151327 - for construction launch, similar to support for the Richmond project
151328 - in 1997, e.g., see meeting on 970320 ref SDS 16 0000
151330 -  ..
151331 - Max feels that inter-agency meetings and coordination can be helped by
151332 - Communication Metrics support.  This aligns with Max's analysis on
151333 - 980803. ref SDS 33 2546
151335 -  ..
151336 - Tom indicated that action is needed to extend Luster's contract for
151337 - supporting, CEFMS, PROMIS and RMS.
151339 -  ..
151340 - Budgeting Communication Metrics for risk management can avoid paying
151341 - large sums on Humbolt that occurred on Oakland. ref SDS 36 9152
151343 -  ..
151344 - On 990126 Max called this a cost of "insurance." ref SDS 58 8944
151346 -  ..
151347 - Communication Metrics also saves on direct management expense, as
151348 - shown in Tom's follow up report to HQUSACE on 971007. ref DRP 2 8555
151350 -  ..
151351 - District Counsel recently reported in a memo on 981022 that with
151352 - "certainty" Communication Metrics saved the government an additional
151353 - $190K. ref SDS 36 7315
151355 -  ..
151356 - Total actual and estimated savings of approximately $500K on the
151357 - Oakland project, cost the government less than $50K for 3 months using
151358 - Communication Metrics. This is cost effective "insurance" and daily
151359 - management support that reduces stress and mistakes.
151361 -  ..
151362 - New Internet capability may increase savings by reducing the cost of
151363 - handling documents, as discussed with Tom on 990201. ref SDS 62 7399
151365 -  ..
151366 - The Communication Manager accomplishes a lot of detailed planning and
151367 - follow up including preparing draft memos and correspondence based on
151368 - the project record.  This saves time of the Project Manager and other
151369 - team members, as reported by Herb Cheong on 970406, ref DRP 1 6307, by
151370 - Leonard SooHoo, ref DRP 1 9033, and by Marc McGovern. ref DRP 1 0681
151372 -  ..
151373 - Max showed the organization chart that Tom and I did for the Richmond
151374 - project, as reported on 970428. ref SDS 19
151376 -  ..
151377 - Organization and Construction Launch planning on Richmond are in
151378 - Appendix E of the report on Communication Metrics given to Roger for
151379 - review.
151381 -  ..
151382 - Max wants a similar effort for the Humbolt project.
151383 -
151384 -     [On 990224 met with Max on this. ref SDS 69 0000]
151385 -
151386 -     [On 990422 coordinated with Leonard on procurement. ref SDS 70
151387 -     9405]
151389 -      ..
151390 -     [On 990503 reviewed with DE. ref SDS 71 1935]
151392 -  ..
151393 - Roger will review the report and discuss with Herb.
151394 -
151395 -     [On 990211 Roger read the report. ref SDS 67 3780]
151397 -  ..
151398 - Tom will coordinate with Roger on planning status.
151399 -
151400 -     [On 990211 Tom coordinated with Roger. ref SDS 67 3612]
151401 -
151402 -
151403 -
1515 -

SUBJECTS
Span of Control (Management)
Complexity Causes Information Entropy
Organization Changes COE SFD
Tasks Performed by Welch Unattended by
Meetings Productivity Poor Tom Keesling Max Blodgett Recommend SDS f
Productivity Meetings very Poor, People Cannot Remember
Meetings Writing Accurate Record Care About Organizational Memory Pa

4909 -
491001 -  ..
491002 - District Operations Plan Increases Management Span of Control
491003 - Wider Span of Control Requires Support to Avoid Mistakes, Extra Cost
491004 -
491005 - Follow up ref SDS 35 3600.
491006 -
491007 - Tom mentioned the District Operations Plan is nearing completion,
491008 - which we discussed on 981020. ref SDS 35 3600
491010 -  ..
491011 - It reflects HQ policy to "flatten" the management structure, which
491012 - means increasing span of control toward a range in some cases of 1
491013 - manager for 15 staff.
491015 -  ..
491016 - This seems to be a cost saving step to downsize the organization, as
491017 - related previously on 971015 by HQUSACE. ref SDS 26 1111
491019 -  ..
491020 - Increased span of control, however, increases complexity from more
491021 - communication, which causes mistakes, extra cost and delay, unless
491022 - technology and support can be used to increase span of attention, as
491023 - reviewed on 970829. ref SDS 23 4181
491025 -  ..
491026 - Today, Tom cited a recent weekly Staff Meeting where the District
491027 - Engineer (DE) was very disappointed by failure of managers to follow
491028 - up on getting things done ordered in prior meetings.  Tom later met
491029 - with the DE and reviewed background using SDS for Communication
491030 - Metrics, shown in Tom's report on 970328. ref DRP 1 6172  As a result,
491031 - a meeting was scheduled with the Deputy District Engineer (DDE) Major
491032 - Blenchinger for later today. ref SDS 66 6510
491034 -  ..
491035 - DE's frustration with ineffective meetings aligns with research on
491036 - 960205 that shows people waste 70% of the day in unproductive
491037 - meetings. ref SDS 6 5222
491038 -
491039 -     [On 990224 Major Blenchinger does not want to use Com Metrics for
491040 -     weekly staff meetings because he prepares minutes of meetings
491041 -     using Microsoft programs, and feels that is adequate for managers
491042 -     who are diligent; therefore, Com Metrics is not needed.
491043 -     ref SDS 68 5200
491045 -  ..
491046 - Examples of snafus are reported on 990126, ref SDS 58 4368.  Below,
491047 - Max cites "business intelligence" as a new industry service to solve
491048 - information overload. ref SDS 0 4719
491050 -  ..
491051 - On 971011 analysis showed that Communication Metrics makes it feasible
491052 - to expand span of control, ref SDS 25 8866, based on the District's
491053 - report to HQUSACE on 971007. ref DRP 2 7116  The District reported
491054 - that increasing span of attention avoids extra cost and delay caused
491055 - by mistakes and rework. ref DRP 2 4680
491057 -  ..
491058 - On 980803 Max indicated time and cost savings using Communication
491059 - Metrics on the Internet is self-evident. ref SDS 33 5141
491061 -  ..
491062 - On 981119 Jim Lovo, Chief, CEMP-EC at HQUSACE, made same observation.
491063 - ref SDS 39 2272
491065 -  ..
491066 - On 980403 Max explained advantages using SDS for better productivity
491067 - in meetings.
491069 -  ..
491070 - On 990201 discussed cost savings with Tom Keesling. ref SDS 62 7399
491071 -
491072 -
491073 -
4911 -

SUBJECTS
Intelligence Business, Similar to Military
Helping Hand Intelligence
Business Intelligence Faster Better Cheaper

5505 -
550601 -  ..
550602 - Communication Metrics Provides Effective Business Intelligence
550603 -
550604 - Max mentioned having recently received information from IBM on
550605 - "business intelligence."  He advised of having given Tom Keesling this
550606 - information, and asked if I have reviewed IBM's services?
550607 -
550608 - "Intelligence" is defined in the POIMS paper. ref OF 1 0582
550609 -
550610 -      [On 990204 later, discussed with DDE. ref SDS 66 3432]
550612 -  ..
550613 - On 980226 IBM's "business intelligence" was reviewed. ref SDS 29 0000
550615 -  ..
550616 - On 980227 discussed IBM's initiative with Max, ref SDS 30 0000, and
550617 - submitted a letter transmitting IBM's marketing notice. ref DIP 1 2479
550619 -  ..
550620 - On 980403 Max and Tom reviewed Internet support for Communication
550621 - Metrics, ref SDS 31 3920, and discussed cost savings from efficient
550622 - information management. ref SDS 31 4410
550624 -  ..
550625 - Max noted today that IBM's efforts to market "business intelligence"
550626 - give credibility to the need for adding an "intelligence" role to help
550627 - managers meet the new realities of the 21st century.
550629 -  ..
550630 - Analysis on 980226 makes a similar point. ref SDS 29 5760
550632 -  ..
550633 - On 990105 discussed with HQUSACE setting a clear vision for helping
550634 - managers meet new realities of the 21st century. ref SDS 54 1235
550636 -  ..
550637 - On 990126 discussed HQUSACE's report on solving information overload
550638 - that overwhelms human memory. ref SDS 58 7370
550640 -  ..
550641 - The discussion today, on the Operations Plan that expands span of
550642 - control by reducing management levels, ref SDS 0 6448, shows the
550643 - growing need for business intelligence, ref OF 1 0582, to deal with
550644 - the resulting complexity of fewer managers chasing an expanding
550645 - information base.
550647 -  ..
550648 - Communication Metrics helps managers deal with the complexity of daily
550649 - information by keeping a good record, showing alignment with control
550650 - criteria in contracts, policies, regulations and objectives, and by
550651 - providing the ability to look up critical communications when needed.
550653 -  ..
550654 - Asking today about IBM's "intelligence" service, and then using an
550655 - "intelligence" support system to discover that this matter was
550656 - previously reviewed, is of small importance.
550658 -  ..
550659 - A similar situation on 970624 was important. ref SDS 20 9045
550661 -  ..
550662 - These examples illustrate how matters large and small are impacted by
550663 - information overload and limited span of attention, as discussed on
550664 - 990126, ref SDS 58 4368, and how using Communication Metrics can
550665 - affect signficant savings, as reported by District Counsel on 981027.
550666 - ref SDS 36 7315
550667 -
550668 -
550669 -
550670 -
550671 -
550672 -
550673 -
5507 -