CONTACTS 
0201 - High-Point Schaer
0202 - High-Point Schaer
0203 - High-Point Schaer

SUBJECTS
WMA Marketing, Product
Evaluation, Alex
Internal v. External management
Report procedures
Thinking Through Writing
Meeting Notes, confirm understandings

0908 -    ..
0909 - Summary/Objective
0910 -
091001 - Follow up
091002 -
091003 - Alex feels my memos are coming too frequently.  He cited the memos
091004 - for....
091005 -
091006 -       891103.............................  ref SDS 3 0001
091007 -       891107.............................  ref SDS 4 0001
091008 -       891108.............................  ref SDS 5 0001
091009 -
091010 -
091011 - Alex believes verbal discussions are better for routine coordination
091012 - and do not require much written confirmation.  This is similar to Bill
091013 - Ma's point the other day that verbal exchange occurs "...20 times
091014 - faster," and aligns with record on 890809 that executives feel there
091015 - is not enough time for intelligence. ref SDS 2 8211  He said that
091016 - where there is new or additional information, this can be presented in
091017 - discussion with very occassional confirmation memos.  Alex cited the
091018 - memo on the discussison with Anne Blackman on 891112, ref SDS 6 0000,
091019 - as a correct use of the memo method of communication, yet even here,
091020 - it is not clear why under this theory that the information in the memo
091021 - could not simply have been stated.
091022 -
091023 -   The reason is to be sure all points are made.  In a verbal exchange,
091024 -   there is a tendancy for discussion on some matters to prevent
091025 -   discussion of others due to simply forgetting about them, time
091026 -   constraints, or emotional tension caused by preceeding events that
091027 -   render further discussion impractical.
091028 -
091029 -
091030 -
091031 - Alex mentioned Bill Ma's point at the coordination meeting,
091032 - ref SDS 4 line 70, that Roy should prepare meeting notes and that this
091033 - implied Roy's would be the only notes distributed.  What then was the
091034 - purpose of my notes at ref SDS 4 line 61?
091035 -
091036 -   I explained that the primary intent of the memo was to convey
091037 -   important procedureal and coordination matters raised by Bill and
091038 -   Alex after Roy left the meeting.  Besides what was specifically
091039 -   said during the meeting, clarification and implications are set out
091040 -   in the memo which in my view require consideration.
091041 -
091042 -   Additionally, comparing Roy's notes with mine show some important
091043 -   points were omitted from each, but together, they comprise a good
091044 -   source for the understandings reached, so there is less chance
091045 -   for error and ommission.
091046 -
091047 -   I explained that written material forms the basis for a controlled,
091048 -   thorough discussion rather than one that wonders and becomes dis-
091049 -   tracted by the stress and heat of dialog.  It also provides
091050 -   carefully thought out analyses similar to mathamatical calcula-
091051 -   tions, in contrast to mere hunches that result from discussion.
091052 -
091053 -
091054 - Alex makes a good point that others must read the material and this
091055 - engages valuable time.  He feels detailed memos are more applicable
091056 - to a project environment where there are adversarial parties
091057 - involved.  Thus, we have the distinction between internal and
091058 - external management.
091059 -
091060 - He indicated that where memos are needed, they should contain less
091061 - reference and background data.
091062 -
091063 -   This can be accomplished by simply deleting the reference section
091064 -   and some of the background narrative so the recipient sees only the
091065 -   main points.  I pointed out that sometimes the background is just
091066 -   as important as the main point, because it gives context.  I think
091067 -
091068 -
091069 - Alex generally agrees, but cited the above cases where the memos for
091070 - ref SDS 3 - 3, were issued within the space of a day.  He feels this
091071 - is too much.
091072 -
091073 - We had a lively and informative exchange.  Alex at one point
091074 - indicated he likes to work by commenting on written ideas  but he
091075 - limits this to the end product for the client.  He feels the HPS
091076 - management and administrative process by which the end product is
091077 - achieved, should not be handled in such a laborious manner.
091078 -
091079 - I explained that one purpose is to disclose the extent to which the
091080 - parties have effectivley communicated.  Alex feels this is estab-
091081 - lished from the end product.  This sounds similar to telling someone
091082 - how the building should look instead of giving them some plans and
091083 - specs to confirm objectives; then judging how well they understood by
091084 - inspecting the thing when it is finished.
091085 -
091086 -
091087 - Conclusion
091088 -
091089 -   The bottom line is exercising judgement.  Distinguishing the
091090 -   different levels of background for different management levels.
091091 -
091092 -   Maybe it is a good idea to edit the record for management so they
091093 -   only see the ultimate point.  They then want to discuss the point,
091094 -   and sometimes the nature of the issue is so complex that to
091095 -   adequately consider it, requires a written analysis, rather than a
091096 -   verbal exchange, or at least this should be part of the mix.
091097 -
091098 -
091099 -
091100 -
091101 -
091102 -
091103 -
091104 -
0912 -