CONTACTS 

SUBJECTS
Project Office, Business Engineering,
Information Management (IT)
Integration, Balancing, Visualization
Enterprise Workflow, PM Steering Committee
Decision Support, Business Process Reengineering
PM Career Opportunity, Mentoring
Hierarchical Organizations Replaced by
Reengineer Enterprise Management KM AI Project Management Use Tech to
Organization Flat Reengineer Reduce Bureauracy Empowers Collaboration
Team Leaders Replace Project Managers Reengineer Fire People Give Peo

1612 -
1612 -    ..
1613 - Summary/Objective
1614 -
161401 - Follow up ref SDS 30 0000.
161402 -
161403 - Harvey Levine and Richard Murphy recommend using a Project Office for
161404 - enterprise wide support of project management.  I agree this can help,
161405 - but it will not improve management nor earnings, unless Communication
161406 - Metrics is implemented, as seen from examples where a Project Office
161407 - is being used.  It, also, risks reducing the authority to manage
161408 - projects.  The call for mentoring is useful, but typically needs
161409 - special conditions.
161410 -
161411 -       [On 971004 Stanford closed its Project Office because it failed
161412 -       to reduce delay and costs. ref SDS 59 0749
161414 -        ..
161415 -       [On 971021 SDS on the Internet provides "intelligence" that
161416 -       enables Project Office, Knowledge Repository, and Paperless
161417 -       (Virtual) Office. ref SDS 60 6336
161418 -
161419 -
161420 -
161422 -  ..
1615 -
1616 -
1617 - Progress
161801 -  ..
161802 - Project Office Focuses Expertise
161803 -
161804 - Harvey Levine proposes in the May 1997 issue of PM Network on p.
161805 - 19, a new organizational function called a...
161806 -
161807 -
161808 -                          Project Office
161809 -
161810 -
161811 - .., ref OF 1 0001. to support project management similar to
161812 - engineering, finance and marketing departments. ref OF 1 9K9H
161814 -     ..
161815 -    [On 970822 reviewed another article by Dinsmore advocating using a
161816 -    Project Office. ref SDS 52 0000]
161818 -  ..
161819 - Another article, by Richard Murphy, in the same issue on page 33, says
161820 - "Project Support Offices" have existed for 30 years as "Project
161821 - Control" for cost and schedule in construction and aerospace.
161822 - ref OF 15 V32D  Kerzner lectured last year that "mature" project
161823 - management integrates cost and schedule control. ref SDS 13 5093
161825 -  ..
161826 - Murphy offers considerations for starting a Project Office.
161827 - ref OF 15 0966
161828 -
161829 -    This supports the "PM Steering Committee" idea proposed in a series
161830 -    of articles by Joan Knutson, e.g., the April 1994 PM Network.
161831 -    ref SDS 11 4839
161833 -     ..
161834 -    Levine's article cites alternative title:
161835 -
161837 -                    ..
161838 -                   Project Management Competency Center
161839 -
161840 -
161841 -    .., ref OF 1 0966 and ref OF 1 0244, an apparent application of
161842 -    "core competency" descriptions in recent industry writings.
161843 -
161844 -        [On 990527 strong cultural forces prevent efforts to improve
161845 -        competency, ref SDS 68 1233, presents Innovator's Dilemma.
161846 -        ref SDS 68 5258
161848 -         ..
161849 -        [On 001109 Doug Engelbart awarded National Medal of Technology
161850 -        for work to improve competency of people and organizations to
161851 -        solve complex problems. ref SDS 71 0001
161853 -  ..
161854 - Project Management is now a recognized professional discipline,
161855 - ref OF 1 5D6K and ref OF 1 006P, and since it is new, the author
161856 - aruges that PM needs centralized organization for "leadership," as
161857 - with other professional disciplines. ref OF 1 6N4J
161859 -  ..
161860 - Murphy says in a second article that business process reengineering
161861 - has made "managing by projects" a core technique for efficient
161862 - operation. ref OF 15 8377.  He sees Project Management as an
161863 - enterprise wide strategic information system, like accounting and
161864 - human resources. ref OF 15 6388
161865 -
161866 -    This reflects DEC's white paper on "Enterprise Workflow" a few
161867 -    years ago on a comprehensive automated environment to manage all
161868 -    project information, ref SDS 10 0453.  The Project Office is the
161869 -    analog for the organization chart.
161870 -
161871 -         [On 970820 Max Wideman was seeking automated methods to manage
161872 -         all project information. ref SDS 51 3345
161874 -     ..
161875 -    Project Office Cannot Empower Consistent Use Good Management
161876 -
161877 -    The 30 year experience with Project Office concept shows it has not
161878 -    enabled consistent use of good management, per article in same
161879 -    issue that poor communication causes huge losses, ref SDS 43 7777
161880 -    In construction, the whole organization is the "Project Office" for
161881 -    project managers. Recent consolidations in aerospace and bankruptcy
161882 -    filings by Morrison Knudson, Guy F. Atkinson, and Dutra Dredging,
161883 -    ref SDS 49 8854, suggest that a dedicated Project Office may not
161884 -    yield the "best practices" and skill needed to manage projects
161885 -    successfully.
161887 -     ..
161888 -    This record suggests there is another important ingredient needed
161889 -    to improve management and earnings, besides adding a new
161890 -    department, as discussed on 950412. ref SDS 15 3920
161892 -     ..
161893 -    If people are not provided the means and support to manage the
161894 -    increased flow of information, centralizing management, merely
161895 -    covers up problems.
161896 -
161897 -       [On 970707 U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology (USAFIT) study
161898 -       showed that cost and schedule growth become entropic, i.e.,
161899 -       unmanageable, as a result of information entropy, ref SDS 47
161900 -       0108
161902 -        ..
161903 -       [On 971004 Stanford closed its Project Office because it failed
161904 -       to reduce delay and costs. ref SDS 59 0749
161906 -        ..
161907 -       [On 971021 SDS ported to Internet for "intelligence" that
161908 -       enables Project Office, Knowledge Repository, and Paperless
161909 -       (Virtual) Office. ref SDS 60 6336
161910 -
161912 -     ..
161913 -    In other businesses, the CEO is the project manager for everything,
161914 -    and everybody reports to the CEO on every project.
161915 -
161916 -    Why do project managers, who are "leaders" need leadership beyond
161917 -    the president, CEO, COB?
161918 -
161919 -        [On 980307 Andy Grove, CEO of Intel, is the only person out of
161920 -        70,000 employees who has the authority to invest time for
161921 -        developing useful intelligence.  Everyone else is under orders
161922 -        to go to a meeting, answer the phone, or send an email.  It is
161923 -        a recipe for disaster. ref SDS 62 2189
161924 -
161926 -     ..
161927 -    Managing everything by "project" means the entire organization is a
161928 -    "Project Support Office."  The CEO is the head Project Manager, and
161929 -    all of the functional departments support projects.  This has
161930 -    actually been proposed for the San Francisco District Corps of
161931 -    Engineers, although it has not yet been realized that such is the
161932 -    effect of proposed organization changes, reviewed on 970522.
161933 -    ref SDS 42 2723
161934 -
161935 -        [On 970822 follow up article by Paul Dinsmore calls for an
161936 -        MOBP, ref SDS 52 4R8W,
161938 -         ..
161939 -        [On 970904 letter from Max Wideman notes "Project Managers" are
161940 -        not effective for internal management, ref SDS 55 42RA
161941 -
161942 -
161944 -  ..
161945 - Hierarchical Structures Make Irrefutable Sense
161946 -
161947 - Levine seems to be throwing-in-the-towel on flattening organizational
161948 - structures.  He wants to "join the party" of hierarchy, by adding
161949 - another layer of organization for project management. ref OF 1 9K9H
161950 - Levine contends adding a Project Office will produce dedicated,
161951 - empowered project leadership. ref OF 1 0163
161952 -
161953 -    Hierarchical organization models reflect underlying structures of
161954 -    existence comprised of building blocks.  Therefore, hierarchy in
161955 -    organizations is fundamental.
161957 -     ..
161958 -    On 970710 Intel reported that empowerment makes it more difficult
161959 -    to use management standards. ref SDS 48 1431.  How will the Project
161960 -    Office improve upon Intel's experience?
161962 -     ..
161963 -    The San Francisco District of the U.S.  Army Corps of Engineers has
161964 -    an "Operational Plan" intended to "flatten" the organization,
161965 -    reviewed on 970522. ref SDS 42 G3P5  The USACE plan elevates the
161966 -    role of project management by expanding the authority and size of
161967 -    an existing Program, Project Management Division. ref SDS 42 2723
161969 -     ..
161970 -    The Corps of Engineers experience with a "Project Office" division,
161971 -    found that to make it effective, other departments should report to
161972 -    the head Project Manager instead of to the District Engineer.  Why
161973 -    then is a District Engineer, CEO or President needed?  Is this the
161974 -    objective of Levine's Project Office?
161976 -     ..
161977 -    What will be the next organizational step, when the Project Office
161978 -    does not improve management of projects, per discussion above on
161979 -    "Project Office Cannot Empower Consistent Use Good Management."
161980 -
161981 -       [On 971004 Stanford closed its Project Office because it failed
161982 -       to reduce delay and costs. ref SDS 59 0749
161984 -     ..
161985 -    Corps of Engineers District staff report that Communication Metrics
161986 -    makes project management effective. ref DRP 1 N4T21 and ref DRP 1
161987 -    6172  This may be more helpful than changing the organization
161988 -    chart.
161989 -
161991 -  ..
161992 - Project Management Skills, Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices
161993 -
161994 - Levine lists tasks a project manager does, and claims this is
161995 - different from a "functional manager." ref OF 1 014R   Murphy has a
161996 - similar listing. ref OF 15 6388
161997 -
161998 -    •  get all key players on the project team;
161999 -    •  manage task interfaces:
162000 -    •  clearly identify task completion:
162001 -    •  communicate task completion;
162002 -    •  manage responsibility interfaces;
162003 -    •  question blurry responsibilities:
162004 -    •  clarify delegation levels;
162005 -    •  balance needs of project, client, organization;
162006 -    •  identify stakeholders and their definition of project success:
162007 -    •  balance project objectives with other objectives;
162008 -    •  act as a catalyst; and when necessary a devil's advocate;
162009 -    •  promote effective communication and wide participation in
162010 -       decision-making;
162011 -    •  manage conflicts.
162012 -
162014 -     ..
162015 -    Levine does not mention cost and schedule control, which are the
162016 -    roots of Project Management, as cited in Murphy's article.
162017 -    ref OF 15 V32D  Levine also overlooks following listed in Murphy's
162018 -    article:
162019 -
162020 -    •  Multiproject, program management
162021 -
162022 -       This is cited by Murphy as a key change in the Project Support
162023 -       Office role, ref OF 15 005P and ref OF 15 017O, yet program
162024 -       management has been around for a long time, particularly in
162025 -       weapons procurement.  Murphy also lists, ref OF 15 0966 ,,,
162027 -        ..
162028 -    •  project initiation
162029 -    •  project planning
162030 -    •  capturing and analyzing historical data
162031 -    •  risk assessment
162032 -    •  maintaining enhancing corporate project management techniques
162033 -    •  supporting users of project management systems;
162034 -    •  project management training (both fundamentals and software);
162035 -    •  quality assurance.
162037 -     ..
162038 -    Murphy's lists basically covers the stuff in the PMBOK.  If so,
162039 -    what are the people on the projects doing?  Who has what authority;
162040 -    and, who is supporting whom?
162042 -     ..
162043 -    My sense is that all managers strive to perform most of the above
162044 -    tasks everyday.  The CEO does all of this stuff.  What does a
162045 -    Project Manager do differently, other than exercise authority
162046 -    across functional lines and between organizational stakeholders.
162048 -     ..
162049 -    The authors imply that a new organizational unit will produce more
162050 -    consistent use of good management practice.  Levine and Murphy do
162051 -    not offer evidence of this, nor explain how to to get a better
162052 -    result, per analysis above. ref SDS 0 R3KS
162053 -
162054 -       [On 971004 Stanford closed its Project Office because it failed
162055 -       to reduce delay and costs. ref SDS 59 0749
162057 -     ..
162058 -    Is it really a Project Manager's job to balance project needs and
162059 -    objectives with other objectives, etc.; or is that done at a higher
162060 -    level?  Once the requirements of the project are identified, the
162061 -    PM's job is to be an advocate to accomplish them.  Otherwise how is
162062 -    the PM to be evaluated?
162064 -     ..
162065 -    What does project success mean?  It is always critical to set this
162066 -    out in the record.
162067 -
162069 -  ..
162070 - Project Management Skills Supported by Project Office
162071 -
162072 - Levine says a Project Office produces people skilled in the art and
162073 - science of project management, ref OF 1 6N4J, presumably to perform
162074 - the list of stuff above. ref SDS 0 KJ3N  Murphy says software became
162075 - easy enough to use that a dedicated department for controls was no
162076 - longer needed, so project support offices were eliminated in the 80s,
162077 - but now they are needed in the 90s. ref OF 15 004G
162078 -
162079 -    Where is the evidence -- Bechtel, Cheveron, PG&E, the Corps of
162080 -    Engineers, MK, Guy F. Atkinson, Intel?  Where are skilled project
162081 -    managers being produced by a Project Office or other centralized
162082 -    environment?
162083 -
162084 -       [On 971004 Stanford closed its Project Office because it failed
162085 -       to reduce delay and costs. ref SDS 59 0749
162087 -     ..
162088 -    Project manager skills are cross-functional, like those of a CEO.
162089 -    Is there a CEO Office that produces skilled CEO's?  Or, does the
162090 -    CEO gain skill by working in, and/or with, a variety of functions?
162092 -     ..
162093 -    Mike Emry at PG&E noted technology rendered the project management
162094 -    profession and departments unnecessary, ref SDS 12 6901.  A year
162095 -    later, Morris Jones at Chips concurred ref SDS 16 2165.
162097 -     ..
162098 -    A "project manager" is the "boss" of a project.  It seems strange
162099 -    for someone to start out going to school to train to become the
162100 -    boss.  Typically, the boss is the best at whatever is being done.
162102 -     ..
162103 -    How do you develop project management skills other than by managing
162104 -    a project, and working with those who do?
162106 -     ..
162107 -    Joel Koppleman, founder and CEO of Primavera, gave a presentation
162108 -    on "magic dates" to a professiona event on 960412.  At that time
162109 -    Joel said he needed Project Managers who "tell the truth."
162110 -    ref SDS 15 3920  Similarly, Morris Jones at Chips and Technologies
162111 -    reported project managers "lie, harass and cover-up." ref SDS 16
162112 -    2955  How will the Project Office help Project Managers discover
162113 -    the truth and act on it so they are empowered to "tell the truth."
162115 -     ..
162116 -    Leadership, Communication Primary Project Management Functions
162117 -
162118 -    The primary function of project management is leadership. Murphy's
162119 -    article says the most important function is communication.
162120 -    ref OF 15 A1EP  A third article cites poor communication as a
162121 -    pervasive cause of project failure, ref SDS 43 7777
162123 -     ..
162124 -    How, then, will a Project Office improve skills to think, remember
162125 -    and communicate, or otherwise support "communication"?
162126 -
162127 -       [On 971004 Stanford closed its Project Office despite having
162128 -       recruited the "best of the best." ref SDS 59 7738
162130 -     ..
162131 -    Communication Metrics can provide the "intelligence" role projects
162132 -    need to succeed, reported by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
162133 -    ref DRP 1 6172, but why not provide this support for Engineering,
162134 -    finance, the CEO and so on?  Don't they need intelligence too?
162135 -    Why limit this to a "Project Office"?
162136 -
162138 -     ..
162139 -    The difficulty for project managers is not having enough time to
162140 -    perform good management consistently, for example reported on
162141 -    961217, ref SDS 34 8449 and on 961217. ref SDS 35 5790
162142 -
162143 -        [On 970910 executives do not have enough time to think.
162144 -        ref SDS 57 3479
162146 -     ..
162147 -    How will the Project Office solve this?
162149 -     ..
162150 -    PMs, CEOs, CIOs, CFOs and everybody else want to build the job with
162151 -    conversation, ref SDS 22 2004, using "guess and gossip," rather
162152 -    than the project record, reviewed in meeting at USACE on 970405.
162153 -    ref SDS 38 0001 and on 970110. ref SDS 36 5893  How will the
162154 -    Project Office solve social resistance to improvement?
162155 -
162157 -  ..
162158 - Project Team Leaders Lack Leadership Skills
162159 -
162160 - Levine notes that "project leaders" lack project management skills,
162161 - and view themselves as leaders of the technical content of a project,
162162 - therefore, they need support from a Project Office for the management
162163 - and leadership dimensions of project management. ref OF 1 0153
162164 -
162165 -    This reflects discussions with Morris on 950705, where he proposed
162166 -    replacing project managers with project software, and team leaders.
162167 -    ref SDS 16 2165
162169 -     ..
162170 -    I disagree.
162172 -     ..
162173 -    The missing ingredient identified on 950705 is authority.
162174 -    ref SDS 16 8965  Over reliance on "influencing without authority"
162175 -    by talking people, who have authority, into taking needed action,
162176 -    simply leads to non-action by substituting "common sense" for
162177 -    reliance on the record and alignment with requirements and
162178 -    objectives.
162179 -
162180 -
162182 -  ..
162183 - Mentoring is cited as an important part of training project managers.
162184 - ref OF 1 018O
162185 -
162186 -    Can this be done outside the arena of managing a project?
162187 -
162188 -    Can we mentor management and leadership skills in the central
162189 -    office?   A Project Office could issue guidelines for mentoring,
162190 -    but how would they differ from corporate wide policies on
162191 -    mentoring?  Is mentoring conducive to bureaucratic guidelines and
162192 -    procedures?
162194 -     ..
162195 -    Mentoring requires rare circumstances where people who have skills
162196 -    and are willing to mentor, and have the opportunity to expose those
162197 -    skills to people who do not have them, and who are willing to
162198 -    learn.  Fluidity in job positions means that often the essential
162199 -    chemistry cannot last long enough for effective mentoring to occur.
162201 -     ..
162202 -    On 961204 the San Francisco District Corps of Engineers has a
162203 -    Project Management Division, and it cannot mentor Project
162204 -    Management skills, ref SDS 33 8951  How will a Project Office
162205 -    accomplish this task?
162206 -
162207 -
162208 -
162209 -
1623 -

SUBJECTS
Hierarchy Causes Hubris by Shielding
Turning Out the Lights, Rejecting SDS
Feedback Ignorant about Communication
Ignorance, Fear, Denial
Denial Communication Metrics Accountant

2007 -
200801 -  ..
200802 - Authority of Project Manager Can Be Reduced by Project Office
200803 -
200804 - Seems like a possible benefit of a Project Office could be to provide
200805 - organizational ballast for the authority that is essential to project
200806 - management, per analysis on 970705. ref SDS 16 T2DM  Neither Levine
200807 - nor Murphy cite the exercise of cross-functional, multi-organizational
200808 - authority as a task that Project Managers perform, which is not part
200809 - of typical functional management.
200811 -       ..
200812 -      [On 970822 article by Paul Dinsmore in Aug 1997 PM Network says a
200813 -      Program Office has power and authority, but does not ascribe this
200814 -      to a Project Office. ref SDS 52 7499
200816 -  ..
200817 - Like the accounting department, disparaged as "bean counters,"
200818 - departmental status of a Project Office could overcome denial and
200819 - provide support for the Communication Metrics role when the truth
200820 - becomes so bright that political pressure is applied to "turn out the
200821 - lights," rather use the light to discover solutions for avoiding
200822 - losses and delays, as reported by a related article in this issue of
200823 - PM Network on Project Failures, reported in another record today.
200824 - ref SDS 43 3331
200826 -  ..
200827 - A Program/Project department could provide educational events to help
200828 - executives recognize the critical role of timely feedback "metrics"
200829 - and use of "notice" procedures to correct miss-communication, so that
200830 - authority is used to improve earnings, per meeting on 961017 with U.S.
200831 - Army Corps of Engineers, ref SDS 31 2068, rather than applied
200832 - vicariously to cover up, due to ignorance, fear and denial,
200833 - ref SDS 43 3331, as reported by the Corps of Engineers' report on
200834 - Communication Metrics. ref DRP 1 3401
200836 -  ..
200837 - However, a Project Office could simply create another obstacle to
200838 - leadership due to bureaucracy, politics and hubris of the executive
200839 - mindset, a project manager must overcome, rather than have direct
200840 - access to the CEO or other sponsor of a project to accomplish timely
200841 - action.  Will a Project Office isolate a project manager, and widen
200842 - the disconnect between leadership and the work being done?
200844 -  ..
200845 - Will a Project Office filter analysis by those not directly involved?
200846 - This is a danger that people have difficulty grasping.
200847 -
200848 -     [On 970818 FBI failured to adequately investigate bomb threats due
200849 -     to disconnect between field and office staff. ref SDS 50 6006
200851 -  ..
200852 - Levine indicates the Project Office is in a better position to provide
200853 - information and reports to senior management. and make recommendations
200854 - to resolve conflicts and problems. ref OF 1 0966
200855 -
200856 -    How will the burden of increased paper shuffling be avoided, as
200857 -    reported by Intel on 960627, ref SDS 28 3913, under Levine's
200858 -    scheme?
200860 -     ..
200861 -    The author does not address the danger of eroding the authority
200862 -    and effectiveness of the project manager by having reports filtered
200863 -    through another level of management.
200865 -     ..
200866 -    This is different from marketing, engineering and so on, since
200867 -    those disciplines are contributing functions, whereas, the project
200868 -    manager is uniquely responsible for the success of a project.
200869 -
200870 -        [On 970818 FBI failured to adequately investigate bomb threats
200871 -        due to disconnect between field and office staff. ref SDS 50
200872 -        6006
200873 -
200874 -
200875 -
200876 -
2009 -

SUBJECTS
Remembering (Linked Records - Traceability,
Experience History Chronology Diary
Case Studies, Diary record, Journal
Experience Risk Management, Intelligence
Risk Management Learning from Failure
Lessons Learned Failure Risk Management
Feedback Metrics Meeting Notes Improve
Repository of Experience
Knowledge Repository
Organizational Memory Intelligence Organization Analysis Alignment Su

5112 -
511301 -  ..
511302 - Repository for Experience, Models and Standards
511303 -
511304 - Follow up ref SDS 18 5830, ref SDS 26 4884.
511305 -
511306 - Levine expects a Project Office that tracks daily communication for
511307 - organizational memory can be a "repository" for project knowledge to
511308 - accumulate important experience for lessons learned that leads to
511309 - effective implementation management standards. ref OF 1 0966  Murphy
511310 - lists "capturing and analyzing historical data" as a responsibility of
511311 - the Project Office. ref OF 15 0966  He seems to recognize the role of
511312 - project history in risk management, showing it as an important task
511313 - for the Project Office, ref OF 15 6922 and ref OF 15 0860
511314 -
511315 -      [On 010420 organizational memory proposed by Jeff Conklin in a
511316 -      paper published in 1996 seems to be another of callfor a
511317 -      knowledge repository. ref SDS 72 IE4M
511319 -  ..
511320 - This objective is largely implemented by SDS "Knowledge Space" set out
511321 - on 960620. ref SDS 27 3516  Last month on 970418 the U.S. Army Corps
511322 - of Engineers published a report, ref SDS 40 3368, on Communication
511323 - Metrics that explains SDS provides useful Intelligence. ref DRP 1 6172
511324 - The report cites the explanation of "Knowledge Space" and says this
511325 - improves "Lessons Learned." ref DRP 1 3156
511327 -  ..
511328 - Knowledge Space is explained in the NWO... ref OF 13 4212
511329 -
511330 -    What though do Levine and Murphy have in mind?  It is fine to call
511331 -    for lofty objectives, but there is no indication in these articles
511332 -    about any mechanics, level of effort.  What do they mean?
511333 -
511334 -    They do not define "data" and how is it different from experience,
511335 -    information, knowledge, history, intelligence?
511337 -     ..
511338 -    Analysis on 950830 developed a correlation between "stories,"
511339 -    "experience" and "intelligence. ref SDS 19 0096  Without such a
511340 -    conceptual framework of some kind, nothing can be created to be a
511341 -    "repository of experience."
511342 -
511344 -     ..
511345 -    On 900303 review of Jeromy Campbell's book "The Improbable Machine"
511346 -    says the human mind is an "experience" machine, not a "logic"
511347 -    machine, which indicates that business systems that help managers
511348 -    capture and apply experience accurately, thoroughly and quickly
511349 -    will improve management productivity. ref SDS 4 3002
511350 -
511351 -        [On 970822 reviewed later article by Dinsmore that does not
511352 -        list "repository of experience" as benefit of Project Office.
511353 -        ref SDS 52 2950]
511355 -         ..
511356 -        [On 971021 developed idea to use Internet for delivering daily
511357 -        "intelligence" as a practicle "repository of knowledge." see,
511358 -        ref SDS 60 3636]
511359 -
511360 -        ...same article lists electronic record of all discussions,
511361 -        decisions and project notes, as comprising the "repository of
511362 -        experience." ref SDS 60 5884
511364 -         ..
511365 -        [On 980613 article on Virtual Office discusses limitations of
511366 -        using the Internet for a repository of experience. see the
511367 -        record at ref SDS 63 2498]
511369 -         ..
511370 -        [On 980630 article on Atlantic Bell using Internet to support
511371 -        "data repository" of experience. ref SDS 64 0633]
511373 -         ..
511374 -        [On 980722 Intel uses Powerpoint and email that seems to
511375 -        overwhelm managers with too much information, and does not
511376 -        provide useful experience connected to objectives and results
511377 -        and needed to improve management. ref SDS 65 4826]
511379 -         ..
511380 -        [On 980723 explained in the Welch web home page the process of
511381 -        providing clear, concise and complete communications by using
511382 -        the Internet to access the SDS "repository of experience." see
511383 -        ref SDS 66 2759]
511385 -         ..
511386 -        [On 990328 defined "knowledge space" to support Common
511387 -        Administration. ref SDS 67 4789]
511389 -         ..
511390 -        [On 991025 identify SDS "knowledge space" to support effective
511391 -        repository of experience. ref SDS 69 2392]
511393 -         ..
511394 -        [On 991222 Doug Engelbart proposes knowledge repository idea
511395 -        for augmenting human capabilities. ref SDS 70 1140]
511397 -     ..
511398 -    Aphorisms like "Past is prologue"; and "Those who forget the past
511399 -    are doomed to repeat it;" seem telling.  However, the authors do
511400 -    not cite this guidance for a repository of experience to support
511401 -    effective risk management.  The theme of the May issue is:
511402 -
511403 -          Project Failure:  Turning Failure into Success...
511405 -       ..
511406 -      An article under this title is reviewed in another record for
511407 -      today at ref SDS 43 8488
511409 -     ..
511410 -    Would a daily diary provide a "repository of experience" as
511411 -    reviewed on 950830. ref SDS 19 0000  Would it need certain content
511412 -    and an automated environment to be useful?
511414 -     ..
511415 -    Who is keeping a work diary these days?
511417 -     ..
511418 -    The authors are silent on this question.  On 970310 the U.S.  Army
511419 -    Corps of Engineers reported their practice of keeping a daily
511420 -    journal was stopped because there wasn't enough time, ref SDS 37
511421 -    line 169.  However, the Corps of Engineers later reported on 970418
511422 -    that Communication Metrics supports a diary that is timely and
511423 -    provides useful intelligence, ref DRP 1 line 161, ref SDS 40 line
511424 -    190.  Neither Levine nor Murphy cite anyone they know or have heard
511425 -    who has enough time to perform this repository function.
511427 -     ..
511428 -    Who in the Project Office maintains the "repository" of experience?
511429 -    When is it performed?  Will there be a "Repository Manager"?  What
511430 -    skills are needed to produce a useful "repository" of experience?
511432 -     ..
511433 -    How is experience "reposited" i.e., accumulated, organized, saved,
511434 -    examined and applied?  What happens to the analysis?  How is it
511435 -    incorporated into the decision stream?
511437 -     ..
511438 -    How do finance, marketing, engineering departments perform the
511439 -    experience "repository" function?
511441 -     ..
511442 -    Where is this being done?  See Corps of Engineers' Oakland Harbor
511443 -    project, ref SDS 32 line 345.
511445 -     ..
511446 -    The New World Order... paper reports there isn't enough time.
511447 -    Nobody makes it to the museum, ref OF 13 line 150.
511449 -     ..
511450 -    How will "sharing" of experience, models and standards among all
511451 -    project leaders be accomplished, ref OF 1 line 58.
511452 -
511453 -       Is this another weekly, monthly meeting?  Is it more email?  How
511454 -       will sharing occur so that anything useful can be applied
511455 -       effectively, without reducing the time available to learn and
511456 -       consistently perform the steps of good management?
511458 -     ..
511459 -    The need to be gathering organizational experience and formulating
511460 -    standards is axiomatic.  Whether formalized or not, people acquire
511461 -    experience through a process of continual learning.  It is the
511462 -    central role of all organizations.
511464 -     ..
511465 -    Every project has a requirement for review, audit and evaluation
511466 -    for lessons learned.  It is an aspect of "feedback."  Yet, this is
511467 -    never done, because "...there isn't enough time" on the Information
511468 -    Highway, and people hate feedback because it requires time to think
511469 -    that delays taking immediate action to get things done.  Everybody
511470 -    is moving to another project, hoping it will make money that was
511471 -    lost on the last job.  How will adding another box on the
511472 -    organization chart get the review done, when people don't have
511473 -    enough time to capture the record necessary to make a review
511474 -    possible?
511476 -     ..
511477 -    Project success depends on integrating cross-functional teams, so
511478 -    any "experience" gathering process should be organization wide,
511479 -    rather than centralized in a new department.  If the Project Office
511480 -    performs a review, then politics enters the picture.  The key
511481 -    cross-functional leader is the president, CEO.  He needs to be
511482 -    directing project reviews.  If he will not do this job, nobody else
511483 -    will either.
511485 -     ..
511486 -    The Corps of Engineers has a "Construction Contract Administration
511487 -    (CCA) Guide," yet it is not applied.  On 961201 the San Francisco
511488 -    District wanted support to accomplish implementation. ref SDS 33
511489 -    8951  The District has a Project Management Division; yet, it
511490 -    cannot implement standards.  Project Managers at USACE use
511491 -    conventional practices similar to those applied by executives at
511492 -    Bechtel, IBM, Intel, U.S. Steel, and everywhere else. They do what
511493 -    seems right at the moment, ref SDS 6 1331, based on limited span of
511494 -    attention, ref SDS 50 4476, because they do not have a way to link
511495 -    their conduct to organizational standards.  How will the Project
511496 -    Office improve feel good management?
511498 -     ..
511499 -    How will standards issued by the Project Office survive the
511500 -    independence of empowered projects to adopt their own methods and
511501 -    standards?]
511502 -
511503 -        [On 970710 article by Intel reports "flatter" organizations
511504 -        empower innovation, creativity, and teamwork, ref SDS 48 1431;
511505 -        yet also eviscerates business standards, ref SDS 48 2009 Levine
511506 -        and Murphy do not address this conflict.]
511508 -         ..
511509 -        [On 971222 Andy Grove cites tension between creativity and good
511510 -        management. ref SDS 61 6695
511511 -
511512 -
511513 -
511514 -
511515 -
5116 -

SUBJECTS
Technology Alone Cannot Improve Management,
Computers Reduce Management Focus on
Technology Changes Too Rapidly to Usefully
Learning/Education, SDS is Complex, Hope
Com Manager Deliberates Organizational Memory Different Tasks from Tr
Com Manager Helps People Learn SDS on the Job Transitioning Build Fai

6508 -
650901 -  ..
650902 - Project Managers Need Support for Computer Skills
650903 -
650904 - Levine argues computer skills needed for effective project
650905 - management are difficult to maintain, and so need support of a Project
650906 - Office. ref OF 1 0153  He lists five phases for using technology
650907 - to support management, ref OF 1 0179 ....
650909 -             ..
650910 -         •  Methods (practices);
650911 -         •  Tool Selection;
650912 -         •  Training;
650913 -         •  Implementation;
650914 -         •  Audit.
650916 -     ..
650917 -    This reflects the New World Order... paper that technology alone
650918 -    cannot improve management.  The realities of a new work environment
650919 -    require integration of new management science, new information
650920 -    technology and new tools ref OF 13 line 1008, set out on 950812,
650921 -    explaining leadership with a broader vision. ref SDS 18 5830
650923 -     ..
650924 -    It reflects the paper on "Obstacles to Leadership" prepared for
650925 -    Morris' presentation to Asilomar last year, ref SDS 26 4884.
650927 -     ..
650928 -    It reflects discussions with Morris at Chips on 911121, ref SDS 5
650929 -    7420, ref SDS 5 5830; on 920215, ref SDS 7 5820, on 951228,
650930 -    ref SDS 21 8804.  We discussed this again in de-briefing Asilomar
650931 -    last year, ref SDS 29 0891, and Morris' feeling that computers have
650932 -    not changed personal work practices of managers. ref SDS 29 0893.
650934 -     ..
650935 -    It reflects discussions with Dave at Intel on 950927, ref SDS 20
650936 -    6021 and ref SDS 20 7732, on 960507, ref SDS 25 5849, and on
650937 -    970603, ref SDS 44 5803.  It reflects discussions with Paul Noce
650938 -    that his company gave him a computer, but he does not have enough
650939 -    time to use it, ref SDS 23 8492.
650941 -     ..
650942 -    It reflects discussions with Bill DeHart on 960823 that computers
650943 -    actually draw managers away from performing their work, and so a
650944 -    specialist is needed, ref SDS 30 2510.
650945 -    ..
650946 -    The author does not identify the computer skills needed for
650947 -    project management, but from the record at Chips, it is simply
650948 -    keeping a daily schedule on the Wizard, Newton, Ecco Pro or Lotus
650949 -    Organizer, ref SDS 21 5850.
650951 -     ..
650952 -    These same skills are needed for the CEO, CIO and CFO, cited in the
650953 -    article as models to be emulated by the Project Office. ref OF 1
650954 -    5D6K
650956 -     ..
650957 -    Why not have a group that supports all computer skills needed to
650958 -    run the business?
650960 -     ..
650961 -    How about creating a work role to ensure the technology is applied,
650962 -    so project managers and others can work as they wish, yet still get
650963 -    the record created essential for good management?
650964 -
650965 -        [See explanation of Communication Manager as "Pilot" who gets
650966 -        full use of SDS so leadership is effective, ref SDS 46 6839.]
650968 -         ..
650969 -        [See proposal to Turner explaining need for "pilot" to ensure
650970 -        SDS technology empowers the team to "fly" far and fast, ref SDS
650971 -        58 5884.]
650972 -
650973 -
650974 -
650975 -
650976 -
6510 -

SUBJECTS
Project Office,
Overhead Managers are Unproductive
Calculate Risk Management Exposure NPV

6905 -
690601 -  ..
690602 - Cost/Benefit Overhead Expense Project Office
690603 -
690604 - Neither Levine nor Murphy offer a calculation of benefits from adding
690605 - the overhead cost of a Project Office.  They do not provide structure
690606 - nor estimate the cost of the Project Office.  Levine relates it to the
690607 - expense of other departments, but they directly produce something:
690608 - engineering produces drawings; finance produces accounting reports;
690609 - marketing produces sales.
690610 -
690611 -     [On 970822 article on Centers of Excellence do not calculate cost
690612 -     and benefit. ref SDS 52 0596]
690614 -  ..
690615 - Of course we could argue how do we calculate the benefit of the
690616 - accounting reports to the organization, and how do calculate the extra
690617 - sales due a "marketing" department, since presumably people would buy
690618 - products they need, even if no one tells them the products are needed.
690619 - ..
690620 - Additionally, the finance department is not likely to cost as
690621 - much as engineering and marketing.  What level of expense should be
690622 - allocated?
690624 -  ..
690625 - The other article in this issue shows failed communications cost $10s
690626 - of millions of dollars, suggesting an order of magnitude analysis of
690627 - Communication Metrics, ref SDS 43 7777.
690628 -
690629 -
690630 -
6907 -

SUBJECTS
Communications, Feedback Provides Metric
Communication Improves Management More than
Psychologically Burdensome Metrics
Communication Metrics Advantages

8406 -
840701 -  ..
840702 - Command and Control of Record
840703 - Communication Primary Role of Management
840704 -
840705 - Richard Murphy says communication is the single most important overall
840706 - function that the Project Support Office can perform. ref OF 15 A1EP
840707 - 157.
840708 -
840709 -    This reflects reports that communication is the major part of a
840710 -    manager's time, per ref SDS 1 6690, discussion with Morris at
840711 -    ref SDS 3 8812; article on PM, ref SDS 9 3553; and on PMBOK finding
840712 -    communication takes 90% of managers time. ref SDS 24 6677,
840714 -     ..
840715 -    Communication is the medium through which command and control of
840716 -    the work is accomplished, using command and control of the record,
840717 -    explained in POIMS.
840718 -
840719 -        [Book on management performance says communication is most
840720 -        important factor, ref SDS 54 6666.]
840722 -         ..
840723 -        [PG&E reports communication primary factor in business success,
840724 -        ref SDS 56 8572.]
840725 -    ..
840726 -    A third article gives example of poor communication causing
840727 -    $10s of millions of dollars, ref SDS 43 7777.
840728 -
840730 -  ..
840731 - Feedback Critical to Effective Communication
840732 -
840733 - Murphy explains the primary role of communication. ref OF 15 015L
840734 -
840735 -    ...the need for accurate and timely feedback, and especially com-
840736 -    munication of project goals, status and accomplishments, becomes
840737 -    extremely important. These functions cannot and should not be left
840738 -    to the line functions concerned with daily operations; they are
840739 -    clearly the realm of the vital staff function known as the Project
840740 -    Support Office, with the charter and skills to carry out these
840741 -    responsibilities.
840743 -  ..
840744 - This supports the "feedback" process to align people with goals,
840745 - requirements and commitments, endemic to Communication Metrics, as
840746 - called for by PMBOK, ref SDS 17 1940, and ISO criteria, ref SDS 17
840747 - 1593, Cal Tech book on Project Management, ref SDS 8 4400, but which
840748 - is psychologically burdensome to perform, ref SDS 31 5832, ref SDS 16
840749 - 2955, ref SDS 29 0896.
840750 - ..
840751 - A third article in this issue gives example of difficulty people
840752 - have overcoming the psychological/emotional burdens of effective
840753 - communication. ref SDS 43 7777
840755 -  ..
840756 - This record seems to support Communication Metrics practices explained
840757 - to District Engineer, LTC Richard Thompson at a meeting on 970624, see
840758 - ref SDS 45 1415 and ref SDS 45 1829
840759 -
840760 -
840761 -      [Article by U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology shows
840762 -      information entropy leads directly to cost and schedule growth,
840763 -      supporting need for adding metrics to communications, ref SDS 47
840764 -      0108.]
840766 -       ..
840767 -      [See 1978 book on management communication explaining feedback,
840768 -      ref SDS 53 4373.]
840769 -
840771 -  ..
840772 - Levine and Murphy do not explain how a Project Office will improve
840773 - communication.  The discussion above under
840774 -
840775 -      Authority of Project Manager Can Be Reduced by Project Office
840776 -
840777 -   ...offers some ideas on using Communication Metrics.
840778 -
840779 -
840780 -
8408 -