CONTACTS 
0201 - O-0432 0101 High-Point Schaer
020101 - Mr. Alexander B. Vollmer, P.E., Regional Manager

SUBJECTS
CSCJ, Litigation, Issue Analysis
Mislocated Dowels
Schedule review reports
by HPS
Work plan by Gordon/others
Schedule as-built inadequate
Data Understanding

0709 -
0709 -    ..
0710 - Summary/Objective
0711 -
071101 - Follow up
071102 -
071103 - x0001 Alex indicated the memo ref DCP 2, confirming the HPS staff meeting on
071104 - 891204, ref SDS 8 1763, covers some good points.
071106 -  ..
071107 - He said, however, that Gordon said he did not understand the purpose
071108 - of the memo.
071110 -  ..
071111 - I explained this is set out with respect to Gordon's work at ref SDS 8
071112 - 8823, and at ref SDS 8 2538 requesting a CPM fragnet using the
071113 - chronology prepared for the "mislocated dowel" issue.
071115 -  ..
071116 - Further the need for a list of defects in the record supplied by NW
071117 - for schedule analysis is explained at ref SDS 8 line 0814201313.
071118 - There is no ambiguity in the language, and it is consistent with
071119 - prior discussions with Gordon and memos to Gordon, see for example
071120 - ref SDS 2 line 050621, SDS 3 line 050901, SDS 4 line 120810, SDS 6
071121 - line 130705 (citing Alex's own memo to Gordon request- ing a report
071122 - of defective schedule record),
071123 - ..
071124 - Earlier today Gordon called and indicated he had supplied the
071125 - report on schedule data defects cited at ref SDS 8 line 0814201313.
071126 - Alex said Gordon supplied a statement explaining the schedule analysis
071127 - budget which addresses defective records, but this is not the same as
071128 - a list of specific data counsel can use to pursue through discovery.
071129 -
071130 -
071131 -
0712 -

SUBJECTS
Marketing, Product Evaluation
Diary record to increase understanding
Writing "everything" down Not Needed to
Feedback Avoided Executive Mindset to Avoid
Meetings, People "Know" What Happened,
Internal Management Fears Accountability
Doing Work Shows Understandings Don't Confirm Understandings Unnecess

4409 -
441001 -  ..
441002 - Meeting Notes Too Detailed, Cumbersome for Internal Management
441003 -
441004 - Follow up ref SDS 1 9M6G.
441005 -
441006 - Alex feels that SDS reports contain too much information.  He said it
441007 - is not necessary to write down details of internal meetings since each
441008 - person who attends knows what happened that impacts their work.
441010 -  ..
441011 - We considered the benefit of providing context and allowing people the
441012 - chance to verify and refine accuracy of common understandings.
441014 -  ..
441015 - An example is Alex's request last week on 891201 to look up
441016 - information captured in the SDS record that may save the customer
441017 - $40M. ref SDS 7 3W70
441019 -  ..
441020 - Alex strongly noted that doing the work shows there was understanding
441021 - of instructions and commitments, rather than preparing detailed notes
441022 - of what was said and understood.  He feels SDS methods waste time,
441023 - following up discussion on 891027, ref SDS 1 9M6G, and that success
441024 - finding critical details during the meeting last week that can save
441025 - the customer $40M was a lucky fluke.
441026 -
441027 -     [On 980307 Andy Grove, CEO of Intel, says in his book "Only the
441028 -     Paranoid Survive" that writing copious notes was responsible for
441029 -     his success at Intel. ref SDS 11 3101]
441031 -  ..
441032 - As an example of unnecessary reporting, Alex cited ref DCP 2 which
441033 - submits details from the record on 891129, ref SDS 8 3421 and
441034 - ref SDS 8 4532 covering...
441035 -
441036 -         Roy and Kelly assembled the thing and hung it on the wall in
441037 -         my office.
441039 -          ..
441040 -         Roy asked me how I think we should proceed, in light of the
441041 -         quality of the data.  Rob Edgerton participated in the
441042 -         discussion on the matter of pointing out defects in the
441043 -         as-built data.
441045 -  ..
441046 - Alex feels the summary should have a different format where the action
441047 - items contained in the Summary show beneath them the description of
441048 - the event.
441050 -  ..
441051 - I pointed out this is not a summary.  To get the entire flow of the
441052 - event, one has to read the detail for each item.
441054 -  ..
441055 - I think some of the stuff Alex cites like the above can be eliminated
441056 - in management reports.  The second item in particular is covered by
441057 - the paragraph title:  "Proposed schedule analysis procedures."
441059 -  ..
441060 - On the other hand, this kind of detail does provide background, which,
441061 - with the passage, of time might be helpful to orient understanding
441062 - context.  The first line Alex cites as objectionable shows the source
441063 - and movement of information which occassionally needs to be recognized
441064 - in applying information.  Because of the nearness of time, it seems
441065 - extraneous now.  The purpose of the Diary is to fully inform at any
441066 - time the data may be called upon.
441068 -  ..
441069 - Of course the most important aspect of management information is that
441070 - it promote adequate management.  If it is distracting because of
441071 - format, as here, then the format should be changed after a reasonable
441072 - effort to explain it does not succeed.
441074 -  ..
441075 - That is my responsibility.
441076 -
441077 -     [On 950626 improved SDS with system that links summary to detail.
441078 -     ref SDS 9 2772]
441079 -
441080 -     [On 980405 ideas were considered make feedback metrics more
441081 -     acceptable as a means to provide useful "intelligence." ref SDS 12
441082 -     5065]
441083 -
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4412 -