CONTACTS 
0201 - State of California                  916 445 6038
020101 - Mr. Iman Sallam; 916 653 2084
020102 - Construction Management

SUBJECTS
Common Administration
Caltrans, Self-evident Cost Savings
Clear Concise Complete Communication
Demonstrate SDS, Communication Metrics
Difficult to Explain SDS/POIMS
Computers Technology Centered Rather than
Control Communication Like Cost Schedule

1509 -    ..
1510 - Summary/Objective
1511 -
151101 - Follow up ref SDS 27 0000, ref SDS 26 0000.
151102 -
151103 - Caltrans Construction Management is working on improving business
151104 - communication.  Efforts are impacted by legacy systems.  Iman
151105 - indicated potential value in Communication Metrics that delivers
151106 - effective "intelligence" via Internet.
151107 -
151108 - Sent ref DIT 1 linked to this record showing agenda for meeting
151109 - tomorrow.
151110 -
151111 -      [On 990414 met with Iman and discussed web site. ref SDS 28]
151112 -
151113 -
151114 -
151115 -  ..
1512 -
1513 -
1514 - Discussion
1515 -
151501 -  ..
151502 - Caltrans Improving Communications, System of "Metrics" May Help
151503 -
151504 - Iman called about my disucssion with John on Communication Metrics for
151505 - Common Administration of construction contracts. ref SDS 27 8947  He
151506 - received my letter, ref DIP 5, that is linked to the letter to Ross
151507 - Chittenden, ref DIP 4, sent on 980406. ref SDS 26 9583
151508 - ..
151509 - Advantages of Communication Metrics using SDS...
151510 -
151511 - "Communication Metrics" supplements cost and schedule control to make
151512 - management more effective, as reviewed on 950202, ref SDS 5 0333, per
151513 - telecon with Ross on 980908. ref SDS 16 6336  It was first defined on
151514 - 950327. ref SDS 7 4822
151515 -
151516 - Key "controls" for communication are...
151517 -
151518 -      1.  organizing structure
151519 -
151520 -          Diary (date, time) - chronologies by "subject"
151521 -
151522 -          WBS methods set "subjects" from contracts, schedules, budgets
151523 -          see diary on 920211. ref SDS 1 7462
151524 -
151525 -      2.  alignment with requirements and prior commitments, per ISO
151526 -          spec for traceability to original sources. ref SDS 8 1740
151527 -
151528 -      3.  summary linked to detail, ref OF 1 3943
151529 -
151530 -      4.  analysis based on diary history avoids ambiguity per 980307.
151531 -          ref SDS 15 3668
151532 -          ..
151533 -          Expedites reading and writing. ref SDS 6 4995
151534 -
151535 -      5.  feedback, ref SDS 13 2914, ref SDS 14 0261, and ISO criteria.
151536 -          ref SDS 8 1593,
151537 -
151538 -      6.  timely, uniform distribution via Internet. ref SDS 12 3636
151539 -
151540 - The SDS program makes Communication Metrics possible, as reported by
151541 - US Army Corps of Engineers. ref DIP 6 8960 (draft #2)
151542 -
151543 - Common Administration is explained on 980328. ref SDS 22 9641
151544 -
151545 - We reviewed the goal to improve communication so that projects have a
151546 - better chance to succeed for both Caltrans and contractors.
151547 -
151548 - Iman noted that my letter uses the Internet to reduce reliance on
151549 - paper.  It provides linkages of cause and effect that show alignment
151550 - with project requirements and commitments from prior meetings, calls
151551 - and documents.
151552 - ..
151553 - This technology implements two related concepts...
151554 -
151555 -     1.  Clear, concise, complete communications. ref OF 1 1218
151556 -
151557 -     2.  Intelligence. ref OF 1 0582
151558 -
151559 - It reflects Caltrans' move toward technology that fits management
151560 - processes, cited by Ross Chittenden in his PM Network article reviewed
151561 - on 970502. ref SDS 10 4680
151562 -
151563 - Iman advised that Caltrans has been working to improve communication
151564 - because it plays a dominate role in project success (see research on
151565 - 970829. ref SDS 11 6666).  The effort must accomodate legacy systems
151566 - that extend back to the 1960s, requiring managers to fill out forms
151567 - and submit for batch data entry of management information.
151568 - ..
151569 - On 921020 Cal Tech seminar reviewed impact of computers on
151570 - Caltrans' management. ref SDS 2 4365  On 970502, Ross Chittenden's
151571 - article in PM Network (Apr 97) reported that Caltrans legacy systems
151572 - are impacted. ref SDS 10 9853
151573 -
151574 - This may be a good time in the budget cycle for evaluating new methods
151575 - and tools, like Communication Metrics for Common Administration.
151576 -
151577 -
151578 -  ..
151579 - Set Meeting for 990414 1000 in Sacramento
151580 -
151581 - We will meet tomorrow in Iman's office to consider formulating a plan
151582 - for testing Communication Metrics within Caltrans.
151583 -
151584 - This first meeting should have minimal attendance, so we can focus on
151585 - explaining the methodology and considering how it might fit with
151586 - Caltrans' systems and management practices.  This is not aimed at
151587 - "selling" but more at exploring needs, opportunities and constraints.
151588 -
151589 - If the meeting seems productive, we can then schedule another meeting
151590 - with others, as needed, to introduce this new concept.
151591 -
151592 - Iman found the Communication Metrics web site from the record on
151593 - 990406, ref SDS 26 0862, linked to ref DIP 4.
151594 - ..
151595 - He will review the web site in preparation for our meeting.
151596 -
151597 -                    http://www.welchco.com
151598 -
151599 -      [On 990414 met with Iman and discussed web site. ref SDS 28]
151600 -
151601 - ..
151602 - Agenda for the meeting tomorrow...
151603 - 
151604 -    1.  SDS and applications
151605 -
151606 -        A summary explanation is above. ref SDS 0 2635
151607 -
151608 -        Use meeting on 940901 with Department of Water Resources (DWR)
151609 -        ref SDS 3 2929
151610 -
151611 -        Intelligence, from POIMS paper. ref OF 1 0582
151612 -
151613 -        U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reviewed "intelligence" for daily
151614 -        management in a report on 970328. ref DRP 4 6172  Recent report
151615 -        on 990304, ref DRP 8, recommends wider use. ref SDS 19 7392
151616 -        ..
151617 -        Scientific theory that supports SDS on 990303.
151618 -        ref SDS 18 0920
151619 -
151620 -        ..
151621 -    2.  Acceptance by government managers
151622 -    
151623 -        Meeting on 940901 with DWR. ref SDS 3 4920
151624 -
151625 -        Usefulness. ref SDS 4 8841
151626 -
151627 -
151628 -    3.  Cost savings
151629 -
151630 -        On 971007 cost savings reported. ref DRP 5 0129
151631 -
151632 -        On 981027 cost savings reviewed and approved. ref SDS 17 7315
151633 -
151634 -
151635 -  ..
151636 -
151637 -    4.  Common Administration
151638 -
151639 -        Acceptance of help by contractors on 970107. ref SDS 9 4953
151640 -
151641 -        Example using system on 970107. ref SDS 9 9769
151642 -
151643 -
151644 -  ..
151645 -
151646 -    5.  Plan proposal submission and follow up
151647 -
151648 -        Scope of Services (prototype) and deliverables. ref DRP 4 4929
151649 -
151650 -
151651 -
151652 -
151653 -
1517 -