CONTACTS 
0201 - Kwan Henmi Arch & Planng           415 777 4770 fax 5102
020101 - Mr. Denis Henmi; Principal

SUBJECTS
Kwan Henmi, General
Culture Shock, Communication Metrics
Communication Metrics
Partnering Needs Communication Metrics to

1106 -    ..
1107 - Summary/Objective
1108 -
110801 - Follow up ref SDS 18 0000, ref SDS 16 0000.
110802 -
110803 - Denis described several ways he wants to use SDS for Communication
110804 - Metrics, including support for partnering with a general contractor.
110805 -
110806 -
110807 -
1109 -
1110 -
1111 - Discussion
1112 -
111201 - SDS PowerPoint Slideshow
111202 -
111203 - Showed the SDS Powerpoint Slideshow that explains SDS, POIMS and
111204 - Communication Metrics, per Denis' request at ref SDS 4 line 118, and
111205 - my letter ref DIP 7 line 36.
111206 -
111207 -     Denis feels this presentation would be well received by School
111208 -     Districts and other City officials looking for ways to improve
111209 -     project management, reduce errors and frustrations.
111210 -
111211 -
111212 -
111213 - Communication Metrics PM Support
111214 -
111215 - Discussed ISO criteria considered at ref SDS 8 line 201, and reviewed
111216 - of the ISO and PMBOK at ref SDS 10 line 476, per my letter at
111217 - ref DIP 7 line 34, setting out ideas on risk management we discussed
111218 - at ref SDS 12 line 108.  He has read the ISO 10006 spec I submitted at
111219 - ref SDS 16 line 63 via ref DIP 8 line 35.
111220 -
111221 -
111222 -     Partnering Support
111223 -
111224 -     Denis wants to implement the role of Communication Manager to
111225 -     support a parterning arrangement with a General Contractor.  I
111226 -     think he mentioned Heery Management and/or Hensel Phelps.  Kwan
111227 -     Henmi has received an inquiry about selling the firm.  Denis and
111228 -     Sylvia do not want to sell, but are seeking partnering
111229 -     relationships.
111230 -
111231 -     He said "partnering" is a major change underway in the building
111232 -     industry.  It is an aspect of "revisioning" which was the theme of
111233 -     the professional event for architects that Sylvia chaired and
111234 -     wrote about this past July, ref SDS 15 line 99.
111235 -
111236 -          [See follow up at ref SDS 25 line 168.]
111237 -
111238 -      ..
111239 -     Partnering Risks Reduced by Communication Metrics
111240 -
111241 -     I explained the potential difficulty of partnering that brings
111242 -     relaxed, less formal communications under pressures to be a "team
111243 -     player" and work within hierarchy of a bureaucracy.  People try to
111244 -     work out problems through conversation.  This causes mistakes that
111245 -     are ignored, then suppressed and later denied.  Relations among
111246 -     partners deteriorates ref SDS 3 line 206.  In the absence of a
111247 -     contract, the metrics of control slip away.  Denis' idea to use
111248 -     SDS for Communication Metrics would address this risk.
111249 -
111250 -
111251 -      ..
111252 -     ISO Criteria & Marketing
111253 -
111254 -     Denis feels Communication Metrics can be sold to improve project
111255 -     management "quality" by integrating information on meetings and
111256 -     other sources, similar to cost and schedule control. This idea was
111257 -     presented in the slideshow today.  ISO 10006 criteria, reviewed on
111258 -     950721, ref SDS 9 1740, builds awareness for the role of SDS as a
111259 -     value added practice for effective risk management, as we
111260 -     discussed on 950927. ref SDS 12 7739.
111261 -
111262 -          [On 951026 research showed support is needed for ISO criteria
111263 -          for traceability to original sources. ref SDS 20 7773]
111264 -
111265 -          [On 980917 Denis cited traceability as effective management
111266 -          practice. ref SDS 28 3776]
111267 -
111268 -      ..
111269 -     Changed Communication Environment
111270 -
111271 -     Denis noted the difficulty managers have keeping up with increased
111272 -     flow of information, which Communication Metrics solves as found
111273 -     on 890324. ref SDS 1 6894  Meetings, telephones, fax and e-mail
111274 -     seem to expedite performance, but make it difficult for architects
111275 -     and engineers to integrate each new information source with
111276 -     project objectives (contracts, schedules, budgets) and commitments
111277 -     from meetings, letters and calls.
111278 -
111279 -         [On 951026 defined scope of design support. ref SDS 20 7773]
111280 -
111281 -     These difficulties cause rework to fix mistakes that lead to extra
111282 -     cost and delay in completing assignments on time.
111283 -
111284 -         [On 971008 report Communication Metrics reduces rework, saves
111285 -         money. ref SDS 26 1273
111286 -
111287 -         [On 980917 Denis cited need to avoid rework. ref SDS 27 7665]
111288 -
111289 -     Denis feels clients can more readily recognize the need for a
111290 -     method of business "metrics" applied to communications, similar to
111291 -     cost and schedule control, from having struggled to keep up with
111292 -     the pace of modern communications over the past few years. ISO
111293 -     criteria provide published support for stakeholders to budget for
111294 -     this kind of risk, per discussion on 950927. ref SDS 12 7739.
111295 -
111296 -         [On 951026 firms cannot meet ISO standards. ref SDS 20 3245;
111297 -
111298 -         [On 951031 firms hire psychologists to treat frustrations from
111299 -         failed communications, ref SDS 21 8399]
111300 -
111301 -         [On 951102 executives in denial that information environment
111302 -         impacts performance and cost. ref SDS 23 1759]
111303 -
111304 -         [On 960424 SFIA would not pay for better communications
111305 -         because other AEs don't need it. ref SDS 24 9062]
111306 -
111307 -         [On 980929 Moscone project example of problems. ref SDS 29
111308 -         3099]
111309 -
111310 -         [On 981027 cost savings from improving management a miracle.
111311 -         ref SDS 30 7315   Gov saves $30M by paying $20M extra on $42M
111312 -         contract. ref SDS 30 9152]
111313 -
111314 -         [On 981215 transferred funds from "intelligence" to add more
111315 -         design staff to fix problems. ref SDS 31 7700]
111316 -
111317 -
111318 -     Communication Metrics Improves Productivity & Earnings
111319 -
111320 -     Denis recalled the report from PG&E on improved earnings from
111321 -     using SDS, ref DRP 2 line 21.  I explained my sense that this
111322 -     occurred from accomplishing the ISO criteria of traceability and
111323 -     continual learning using automation and integration of key
111324 -     management tasks, though, at that time in 1994, I was unfamiliar
111325 -     with ISO and its terminology.  Since PG&E management had
111326 -     difficulty explaining the broader information technology of POIMS,
111327 -     I formulated the new management science of Communication Metrics
111328 -     to define the role of the person who uses SDS.  I am publishing a
111329 -     paper in May 1996, that explains the correlation with ISO.
111330 -
111331 -
111332 -     ISO Marketing Benefits
111333 -
111334 -     This new communications environment may offer mutual marketing
111335 -     leverage.  The growing awareness of ISO creates awareness of the
111336 -     benefits of SDS.  Providing a means to comply with ISO criteria by
111337 -     using SDS, supports marketing ISO services, i.e., it is a good
111338 -     idea and it is also practical to accomplish.
111339 -
111340 -     ISO registration and/or compliance is becoming a growing advantage
111341 -     for marketing products and services (e.g., design) because
111342 -     stakeholders and major purchasers want assurance beyond a prior
111343 -     record and financial capacity, that a consultant or vendor can
111344 -     perform.  They want evidence that sound business practices are
111345 -     consistently applied.  I mentioned Raychem Corp who requires its
111346 -     design professionals to comply with ISO.
111347 -
111348 -
1114 -

SUBJECTS
ISO 10006, Project Management Standards

1304 -
130401 -     ISO Registration
130402 -
130403 -     Denis asked what is entailed in doing this?  I explained my
130404 -     understanding that the International Standards Organization (ISO)
130405 -     does not register firms for compliance.  It merely publishes
130406 -     criteria.  There are separate organizations that inspect, help
130407 -     develop procedures and issue registrations showing a company
130408 -     complies with the ISO criteria.  However, writing compliance
130409 -     procedures and obtaining registration does not enable an
130410 -     organization to use ISO standards for traceability and continual
130411 -     learning that improve productivity.  The communication
130412 -     environment Denis described of more meetings, calls, faxes and
130413 -     e-mail, more regulations, standards and businesses complexity,
130414 -     make traditional manual procedures ineffective.
130415 -
130416 -                 [See later support at ref SDS 20 line 295].
130417 -
130418 -         [See follow up to locate ISO registration source ref SDS 20
130419 -         line 194.]
130420 -
130421 -
130422 -
130423 -
130424 -
1305 -

SUBJECTS
Lotus Notes
Information Management

1605 -
160501 - Reviewed comments from meeting with Intel on their plans for future
160502 - use of personal computers, ref SDS 11 line 254, under the heading:
160503 -
160504 -
160505 -                     Taking the Quantum Leap
160506 -
160507 -
160508 -     I mentioned my sense that Denis might be able to do a presentation
160509 -     on how KW is using Lotus Notes.  He feels they are not far enough
160510 -     along using LN to support making a presentation.
160511 -
160512 -
160513 -     We considered briefly the study under consideration at Santa Clara
160514 -     University to evaluate SDS as a means to lift the capacity to
160515 -     think, remember and communicate.  SDS models a phenomena I call
160516 -     "knowledge creep" which is an aspect of connectionist theory in
160517 -     cognitive science.
160518 -
160519 -
160520 - Kwan Henmi Information Management
160521 -
160522 - During lunch Denis outlined ideas about using Lotus Notes as a common
160523 - access medium for an SDS type data base.  He has attended several
160524 - technical events and from these has formulated an objective to enable
160525 - managers to get information quickly on line.  He seems to appreciate
160526 - this can be accomplished with SDS, but wants to do it with a Windows
160527 - NT program.  To this end, he is looking forward to release of a
160528 - Windows NT version of Lotus Notes.  He would like to get a Windows NT
160529 - version of SDS.  I explained that, like Bill Gates, we have to get
160530 - some revenue on the DOS program to finance the Windows development.
160531 -
160532 - I asked about his use of Lotus Notes from our earlier discussion, ref
160533 - SDS 11 line 72.
160534 -
160535 - Denis indicated he is using it on his own computer in a limited
160536 - manner.  He asked if SDS records could be integrated into an LN data
160537 - base.  I said this could likely be done.  It would not provide the
160538 - "magic" of SDS access because LN does not integrate Information, Time
160539 - and Subjects, as seen from the IBM TechCon event in San Jose two weeks
160540 - ago, ref SDS 17 line 252.  I feel sure, however, that we can create a
160541 - way for Kwan Henmi people to take a specific record, like the notes of
160542 - a progress meeting, and file it with LN so they can get it back in the
160543 - manner they wish.
160544 -
160545 -         [See follow up at ref SDS 22 line 145.]
160546 -
160547 -     Comment
160548 -
160549 -     I called Morris at Chips and Technologies after meeting with Denis
160550 -     to verify my impression that we can import SDS records into LN. It
160551 -     should be similar to importing stuff into the Internet program to
160552 -     transmit binary files.  Morris said there is an 800 page manual
160553 -     for LN that has instructions on this.
160554 -
160555 -
160556 - A broader step would be to create a unified information management
160557 - structure for storing stuff on the company server.  This would require
160558 - input from a KW team, so there is buy-in on what structure to adopt.
160559 - Generally, this is a large task from an organizational culture
160560 - perspective, as seen from the discussions with Intel, ref SDS 11 line
160561 - 643.  People like to do their personal filing ad hoc.  So we need to
160562 - accomodate both flexibility and structure.
160563 -
160564 - Experience at PG&E shows it is generally a good approach to initially
160565 - have someone use SDS for awhile so people get used to the idea that
160566 - this methodology works extremely well, i.e., it helps them.  Then they
160567 - will come to want to have the same benefits in their own work
160568 - practices.
160569 -
160570 - We need to work at this in a variety of ways over time so a new system
160571 - is not just imposed by an "outside expert."  Denis indicated he has a
160572 - timeline of approximatley one year to have something in place.
160573 -
160574 - I asked if any written planning has been done of Denis' vision and
160575 - concepts of how to achieve it by setting out requirements and scope?
160576 - Denis has done some of this.  I suggested we start with this so we can
160577 - build on what we have.  Of course our thinking in 1993 and 1994 is
160578 - available in SDS, ref SDS 2 line 229. Denis wants to start with a
160579 - meeting next week.
160580 -
160581 - Denis said they are getting a dedicated Internet line.  It will
160582 - transmit large files much faster.  I explained how Bill and I have
160583 - been using the internet to collaborate the past year with SDS.
160584 -
160585 -
160586 - Follow Up
160587 -
160588 - Scheduled meeting for 951101 1100.
160589 -
160590 -
160591 -
1606 -