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


S U M M A R Y


DIARY: July 29, 1999 10:50 PM Thursday; Rod Welch

Received letter from Mark Haselkorn about NSF proposal on Com Metrics.

1...Summary/Objective
2...Mark Offers Peer Review to Improve Proposal
3...Information Overload Solved by Improving Utility of Alphabet
4...NSF Helps Disruptive Technology Improve Management, Earnings, Taxes
.....Mark's Work May Support Study on Cost Savings Using Com Metrics
5...Intelligence, Religion Explained by Links in Proposal


..............
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CONTACTS 
0201 - University of Washington             206 543 2577
020101 - Mr. Mark P. Haselkorn; Professor and Founding Chair =206 543 2577
020102 - College of Engineering =206 543 2577
020103 - Department of Technical Communication

SUBJECTS
NSF Proposal 9961176
Reviewers, Section 4.2
Internet Supports Virtual Office
Virtual Office, Networked Computers
Mark Haselkorn, 990716
Haselkorn, Mark, 990729
Intel, internal
Double Blind Study Cost Savings

1110 -    ..
1111 - Summary/Objective
1112 -
111201 - Follow up ref SDS 45 0000, ref SDS 44 0000.
111202 -
111203 - Mark suggests explaining deliverables more clearly, and expanding the
111204 - Research Plan. ref SDS 0 0899  This seems to indicate that Technical
111205 - Objectives should specify deliverables of Communication Metrics to
111206 - help a reviewer grasp the process of the innovation.  Mark, also,
111207 - suggests tying "big" points about intelligence and religion to
111208 - deliverables. ref SDS 0 6984
111209 -
111210 -    [On 991213 NSF rejected Com Metrics proposal because research plan
111211 -    was inadequate. ref SDS 50 9144]
111212 -
111213 - Sally Nerlove at NSF reported yesterday that the proposal will be
111214 - reviewed in August and September. ref SDS 47 0001
111215 -
111216 - Can we refine the presentation at this time to implement Mark's
111217 - suggestions?
111218 -
111219 - Submitted ref DIT 1 linked to this record, and to discussion with
111220 - Sally on 990629 concerning need for people to contribute to the
111221 - project. ref SDS 34 5265   Mentioned need for larger study to prove
111222 - cost savings from Communication Metrics, based on Mark's work in
111223 - technical communication.  Sent copy to Morris at Intel.
111224 -
111225 -    [On 990731 humor may help explain intelligence. ref SDS 48 0001]
111226 -
111227 -
111228 -
111229 -
1113 -
1114 -
1115 - Progress
1116 -
111601 -  ..
111602 - Mark Offers Peer Review to Improve Proposal
111603 -
111604 - Received ref DRT 1 from Mark responding to my letter, ref DIP 11,
111605 - submitted on 990716, ref SDS 45 0001, seeking peer review on proposal.
111606 - ref OF 12
111607 -
111608 - Mark offers two suggestions...
111609 -
111610 -    1.  Eliminate references to what NSF can do for you (e.g. overcome
111611 -        resistance, ref OF 10 4002, and ref OF 10 0920, gain access to
111612 -        the right people, ref OF 10 3740, lend credibility) - the issue
111613 -        is what concrete benefits will derive from the project (i.e.
111614 -        what you can do for them). ref DRT 1 5580
111615 -
111616 -    2.  The big context (e.g. nature of intelligence, reference to
111617 -        religion) only works if you quickly and concretely focus down
111618 -        to the specific tasks you will accomplish, how, and the
111619 -        specific deliverables that will be derived. ref DRT 1 7446
111620 -
111621 - Mark recommends expanding the Research Plan, Part 4, ref OF 12 1596,
111622 - in order to demonstrate that "... you've really thought this out....
111623 - ref DRT 1 2856
111624 - ..
111625 - Mark does not address helping people grasp the meaning of adding
111626 - "intelligence" to management, based on a multi-discipline solution,
111627 - which is set out in my letter, ref DIP 11 9570, sent on 990716.
111628 - ref SDS 45 0001,
111629 -
111630 -     [On 000530 sent letter to Mary Keeler, researcher at University of
111631 -     Washington, based on her paper reviewing the work of Charles
111632 -     Peirce who defined knowledge in relation to human experience.
111633 -     ref SDS 51 9797
111634 -
111635 - He does not comment on the "significance of the innovation" to improve
111636 - the alphabet by integrating time and information, nor of adding
111637 - "metrics" to communication, which is a derivative of the process.
111638 -
111639 -
111640 -  ..
1117 -
1118 -
1119 - Analysis
1120 -
112001 - Information Overload Solved by Improving Utility of Alphabet
112002 - NSF Helps Disruptive Technology Improve Management, Earnings, Taxes
112003 -
112004 - Mark's first point to set out clear deliverables is important, and can
112005 - be improved in the current version. ref DRT 1 5580
112006 -
112007 - Should there be a list of deliverables?  Is this a common format used
112008 - for NSF proposals, rather than weave deliverables into the narrative
112009 - within the context of explaining the innovation.
112010 -
112011 - Technical objectives, part 3, lists tasks to be performed, but that
112012 - does not provide meaning to people about the process of Communication
112013 - Metrics that adds intelligence to management.
112014 -
112015 -     We could cite the USACE scope of services for Communication
112016 -     Metrics that lists tasks and deliverables of performing this new
112017 -     work process. ref DRP 1 4929
112018 -
112019 - It may be incorrect, however, my sense is that for NSF to support the
112020 - Welch project, there must be a reason why industry is unable to fund
112021 - this work, despite the significant value it brings to the management
112022 - process which improves earnings.
112023 -
112024 - We argue that the key deliverable, improving the process of the
112025 - alphabet for generating knowledge and ideas, will improve the
112026 - foundation of western civilization, which necessarily improves
112027 - management, earnings and tax revenues. ref OF 10 3417  Over 15 years
112028 - there has been no executive who has grasped this potential. Direct
112029 - evidence of cost savings and improved earnings is ignored, as
112030 - incredible.
112031 -
112032 - Therefore, it seems that credibility is an ingredient we must develop
112033 - in order to give people faith to take a new direction.
112034 -
112035 - We explain that integrating time and information is the process that
112036 - improves the alphabet. ref OF 10 1476  There is a link to a deeper
112037 - explanation of this deliverable. ref OF 10 3417
112038 -
112039 - We cite a deliverable of a record doing the project that will
112040 - demonstrate the validity of this concept. ref OF 10 3136
112041 -
112042 - The argument is advanced to NSF that people fear adding intelligence
112043 - to management because they fear accountability that is inherent in
112044 - traceability to original sources, which is the essence of intelligence,
112045 - even though accountability is the essence of "management."
112046 -
112047 - This fear is overwhelming and drives the demand for credibility to
112048 - build faith that people will get credit for doing a better job, rather
112049 - than suffer opprobrium that causes them to avoid creating and to
112050 - destroy what little intellectual capital that is generated, which is
112051 - the source of earnings.
112052 -
112053 - An article in Fortune, reviewed on 990625, reports CEOs are unwilling
112054 - to perform critical executive work, due to "psychological preference,"
112055 - which Communication Metrics supports with new tools and skills, on the
112056 - theory that if critical work is not being done, then doing the work
112057 - will improve earnings and tax revenues. ref SDS 31 4914
112058 -
112059 - Andy Grove, Chairman of Intel, calls this "strategic dissonance" -- the
112060 - difference between what people say, or tell others to do, and what
112061 - they do.
112062 -
112063 - This huge cultural schism, and refusal to accept the implications of
112064 - effective work practice, can only be repaired by...
112065 -
112066 -     a.  Credible support, e.g., NSF
112067 -
112068 -     b.  Wider based demonstration of cost/benefit, e.g., NSF project
112069 -
112070 - We propose that, if NSF is able to discern this potential, then there
112071 - is a duty to support the effort required to overcome ignorance, fear
112072 - and denial, otherwise the innovation will remain dormant for many more
112073 - generations to the detriment of all who struggle with information
112074 - overload, i.e., pretty much everyone, because the process is counter
112075 - intuitive, ref OF 10 4774, and so is inherently overlooked by a busy
112076 - mind that is looking for a short cut to "understanding."
112077 -
112078 - Our key innovation is that "long way around" is the "short cut" to
112079 - understanding that improves management and earnings.  POIMS technology
112080 - shortens the "long way around." ref OF 1  But it takes experience to
112081 - discover that 5,000 years of culture can be overturned by investing
112082 - time in a particular way, ref OF 3 4305, rather than rely on feel good
112083 - management practice.
112084 -
112085 -      ..
112086 -     Mark's Work May Support Study on Cost Savings Using Com Metrics
112087 -
112088 -     Mark is founding chair of a department on technical communication
112089 -     in the College of Engineering. ref DRT 1 6834
112090 -
112091 -     This may relate simply to writing manuals; or, it it could include
112092 -     what is commonly called "contemporanous documentation" that brings
112093 -     traceablity to original sources, and alignment of the work with
112094 -     requirements.  Communication is a predicate to action, and so is
112095 -     critical to engineering management; yet, it is largely ignored due
112096 -     to limited time, as explained in the POIMS paper, ref OF 1 1850,
112097 -     and, as reported on 951026, where ISO and PMI standards are not
112098 -     performed. ref SDS 4 3245
112099 -
112100 -     The University of Washington web site...
112101 -
112102 -                http://www.uwtc.washington.edu/default.htm
112103 -
112104 -     ...describes Technical Communication in part as...
112105 -
112106 -        The goal ...is to make... information more accessible.
112107 -
112108 -        ... interpret and present complex information in a readable
112109 -        form to various types of audiences. A strong combination of
112110 -        language, visual, and analytical skills is necessary to
112111 -        succeed.
112112 -
112113 -        Jobs in TC include...
112114 -
112115 -            Writing manuals and Online help
112116 -            Interpret technical information for policy makers
112117 -            Environmental impact statements
112118 -            Web page design, content
112119 -            Usability engineering
112120 -            Proposal writing
112121 -
112122 -     TC is an extension of technical writing.  Mark has a Ph.D. in
112123 -     English.
112124 -
112125 -     "Accessible" information in TC requires the "organization" part of
112126 -     intelligence.  Expertise to generate organic subject structure
112127 -     could be added to TC curriculum. ref OF 1 1110
112128 -
112129 -     "Analysis" in TC might support Communication Metrics for
112130 -     contemporaneious documentation, alignment, summary connected to
112131 -     detail, and feedback that yield "intellignece" for planning the
112132 -     work, per USACE scope of services. ref DRP 1 4929  Why not send a
112133 -     TC guy to the meeting, since the CEO and none of the help have the
112134 -     time, inclination nor skill to write up the record, as reported on
112135 -     990625. ref SDS 31 1024
112136 -
112137 -     Discussions with Intel on 990527 may interest Mark on this issue.
112138 -     ref SDS 22 0966  Cite this in the response. ref DIT 1 5848
112139 -
112140 -     On 990425 Morris suggested a double blind study to prove cost
112141 -     savings using Communication Metrics. ref SDS 18 6410  Mark's work
112142 -     in technical communication may relate to this objective.  Ray
112143 -     Levitt's work at Stanford shows potential for significant savings,
112144 -     as reported on 960723. ref SDS 8 2502
112145 -
112146 -         [On 990802 discussed with Morris. ref SDS 49 6125]
112147 -
112148 -
112149 -  ..
112150 - Intelligence, Religion Explained by Links in Proposal
112151 -
112152 - Mark's second point to present specific tasks and deliverables to help
112153 - NSF reviewers grasp association with "intelligence" and "religion" is
112154 - hard to accomplish. ref DRT 1 7446
112155 -
112156 - The big deliverables that accomplish Mark's objective are...
112157 -
112158 -     1.  POIMS technology that supports "intelligence", ref OF 1
112159 -
112160 -     2.  SDS program that implements POIMS technology.
112161 -
112162 -     3.  New World Order... book, that explains new management science
112163 -         in relation to traditions in law and religion. ref OF 3
112164 -
112165 - Since these already exist, can they be "deliverables" of the project?
112166 -
112167 - Again, we could cite the scope of services that lists specific tasks
112168 - and deliverables of performing Communication Metrics. ref DRP 1 4929
112169 -
112170 - The proposal has links to deeper explanations of "intelligence" and
112171 - "religion". ref OF 10 4420
112172 -
112173 - The strategy was to use links so that reviewers can experience the
112174 - concept "intelligence" presented in the proposal of linking summary to
112175 - deeper and deeper detail.  This concept was reviewed with NSF staff on
112176 - 990614. Cheryl Albus and Joe Hennessey suggested using links to
112177 - facilitate understanding of the proposal. ref SDS 24 0866
112178 -
112179 - Perhaps we should modify this strategy in light of Mark's comments.
112180 -
112181 - The proposal explains "intelligence" is primarily founded in human
112182 - experience, and that an inherent mental process of plan, perform,
112183 - report yields chronologies of cause and effect that are linked by an
112184 - organic subject structure. ref OF 10 7802  Links in the proposal
112185 - enable people to interact with chronologies so they can grasp how this
112186 - differs from other methods.
112187 -
112188 - Mark does not indicate having examined the links.  Limited time is a
112189 - factor in limiting review.
112190 -
112191 - If reviewers do not examine links, there is minimal chance they can
112192 - grasp any explanation of intelligence and religion in relation to the
112193 - using technology for applying underlying precepts.  Only experience
112194 - using these ideas, which comes in part by using the links, can
112195 - disclose "meaning."
112196 -
112197 - We say this because, wherever there has been a chance for people to
112198 - actually use Communication Metrics, they report the experience is much
112199 - different from what they expected. ref SDS 9 8888  When they are asked
112200 - to explain their understanding of the deliverable, they cannot do so.
112201 - This arises from the exigencies of "intelligence" which is an inherent
112202 - mental process that is hidden from the conscious mind.  For many, very
112203 - capable, people cognitive science is "black box" stuff, see for
112204 - example on 971029. ref SDS 11 1105 and on 990726. ref SDS 46 0001
112205 -
112206 - So this is not an easy thing to explain.  Our only hope is get people
112207 - to click on a few links to interact with the process for a little bit
112208 - to see if they grasp the power of the microcosm derived from linking
112209 - chains of chronology that show cause and effect over time, i.e.,
112210 - integrating time and information. ref OF 10 7802
112211 -
112212 -    [On 990731 humor may help explain intelligence. ref SDS 48 0001]
112213 -
112214 -
112215 -
112216 -
1123 -
Distribution. . . . See "CONTACTS"