CONTACTS 
0201 - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers         202 761 0011
020101 - Mr. James Lovo; Chief, CEMP-EC =202 761 4804 fax 4783
020102 - Construction and Design Branch, CEMP-EC

SUBJECTS
COE Evaluation Communication Metrics
USACE CESPN CSB Review
Wider Use Communication Metrics
Experience, Need Broader Base
District Support
Denial Managers Making Mistakes Reject
Information Entropy Failed Management
Information Overload
Oakland Harbor Project
Management Support, Contracted Out

1612 -    ..
1613 - Summary/Objective
1614 -
161401 - Follow up ref SDS 53 0000, ref SDS 52 0000.
161402 -
161403 - Jim is following up on doing a project review on Oakland.  He will
161404 - think about opportunities for wider review of Communication Metrics. I
161405 - explained recent efforts by CESPN-CO, and review by DDE.  Jim noted
161406 - that outside contract support for management is recognized by HQ as a
161407 - viable solution.
161408 -
161409 - Later received a letter, ref DRT 1, that seems to accomplish our
161410 - objectives. ref SDS 0 7392  So Jim took imediate action.
161411 -
161412 - Submitted ref DIT 1 with link to this record, thanking Jim for
161413 - expediting and widening the review.  Suggest consideration to sending
161414 - follow up notice that Com Metrics makes Internet powerful new tool for
161415 - management.
161416 -
161417 -
161418 -
161419 -
1615 -
1616 -
1617 - Discussion
1618 -
161801 -  ..
161802 - Oakland Project Review under Consideration
161803 -
161804 - Jim said he has not heard back from Barry Holliday in Civil Works
161805 - dredging about doing a project review on Oakland.
161806 -
161807 - He will go to Barry's office later today to get an update on his
161808 - thinking about this idea, and let me know later today or tomorrow, as
161809 - we discussed on 990222. ref SDS 53 4232
161810 -
161811 -     [Below received letter to Barry on reviewing Communication
161812 -     Metrics, but not a project review on Oakland. ref SDS 0 7392]
161813 -
161814 - Jim noted the change occuring in management of "less people contact."
161815 - More email and voice mail reflects "flatter" organizations with no
161816 - support staff.  Rarely is anyone available when needed. They are in a
161817 - meeting, on a plane... But constant meetings and movement, result in
161818 - cursory understanding because there is no time to think.
161819 -
161820 - I mentioned Max Blodgett's observation on 980803 that managers have
161821 - less time these days for analysis, and this tends to make decisions
161822 - less effective. ref SDS 20 4192
161823 -
161824 -
161825 -  ..
161826 - San Francisco District May Try Com Metrics Again
161827 -
161828 - I explained discussions with DDE on 990224. ref SDS 54 0000
161829 -
161830 - On 990225 work was under way for Chief Con Ops to submit a procurement
161831 - memo. ref SDS 55 0000
161832 -
161833 - Jim explained trends in USACE management toward greater reliance on
161834 - contractors, including policy development.  He feels HQ guidance on
161835 - this is not uniformly recognized, but awareness is growing among
161836 - military and civilian leadership.  Contracting provides flexibility to
161837 - expand management and obtain fresh approaches when needed without
161838 - incurring the burden of permanent cost commitments when work levels
161839 - change.
161840 -
161841 - CESPN's interest in Communication Metrics seems to align with this
161842 - emphasis on using the best methods and people available, which in this
161843 - case is an outside contractor, Welch.
161844 -
161845 -     [On 990305 reviewed with Tom Keesling. ref SDS 57 5600]
161846 -
161847 -     [On 990323 reviewed with Max Blodgett. ref SDS 58 3819]
161848 -
161849 -     [On 990426 Leonard at CESPN-CSB deferred procurement to use
161850 -     Communication Metrics. ref SDS 61 9066]
161851 -
161852 -
161853 -  ..
161854 - Broaden Review of Com Metrics on Need for Management Methodology
161855 -
161856 - We discussed wider distribution of Jim's report on Communication
161857 - Metrics, beyond the Information Management Directorate, from
161858 - consideration on 990222. ref SDS 53 1140
161859 -
161860 - Generally, computer and IT professionals focus narrowly on technology
161861 - and are not as well positioned to assess usefulness, because they lack
161862 - grounding in cognitive science which is the underlying discipline of
161863 - management processes for communication.
161864 - ..
161865 - We talked about the letter from Merry Goodenough in the District
161866 - Counsel's office, received yesterday, that attributes an accurate
161867 - record for a recent meeting to...
161868 -
161869 -        [Rod's] "...memory is better than most." ref SDS 56 9499
161870 -
161871 - Jim advised that he and Bob Gordon have wondered about this point.
161872 -
161873 - We reviewed the objective to help everyone have a better memory based
161874 - on a technology design that emulates key aspects of human cognition,
161875 - ref SDS 56 0920, so that a even "poor memory" is helped by SDS, from
161876 - work 950204. ref SDS 3 0550
161877 -
161878 - We need people to look at Com Metrics who are responsible for change,
161879 - and improving management processes and leadership, and so can assess
161880 - the underlying need to solve information overload, as defined by the
161881 - paper reviewed yesterday. ref SDS 56 6120
161882 -
161883 - Jim plans to think about this later and try and come up with a list of
161884 - other avenues for reviewing Communication Metrics.
161885 -
161886 -     [Jim's letter with copies to 4 others, may be the way this action
161887 -     has been addressed. ref SDS 0 4612]
161888 -
161889 -     [On 990426 it seems now that Jim has not had time to give wider
161890 -     notice about Communication Metrics. ref SDS 60 7080]
161891 -
161892 -     [On 990428 sent letter asking about this subject. ref SDS 62 2700]
161893 -
161894 -     [On 990506 Jim may consider Communication Metrics in reengineering
161895 -     S&A processes. ref SDS 63 8943]
161896 -
161897 -
161898 -  ..
1619 -
1620 -
1621 - 1024 received letter from Jim
1622 -
162201 -  ..
162202 - Proactive Leadership Requires Explaining New Ideas: "Intelligence"
162203 - CEMP-EC Issues Memo Recommending Wider Review for Com Metrics
162204 -
162205 - Jim submitted a copy of his letter to Barry Holliday. ref DRT 1
162206 -
162207 - A copy went to Ed Huempfner in the Information Directorate, per our
162208 - telecon on 990222. ref SDS 53 1140
162209 -
162210 - Jim's letter provides a good explanation for the diary part of SDS
162211 - technology.  He, also, describes "intelligence" for daily business
162212 - management. ref DRT 1 3432 This provides proactive leadership to grow
162213 - new ideas, discussed with Jim Jones on 971029. ref SDS 15 3886 Getting
162214 - people to write their views on new methods is a first step toward
162215 - understanding and follow up.
162216 -
162217 -      [On 990305 HQ draft on using Internet for paperless contracting
162218 -      initiative cites need for proactive efforts. ref SDS 57 9044]
162219 -
162220 - Jim explains the generic application so that it is clear this is not a
162221 - "construction" program, or a "dredging" system, but rather, like the
162222 - alphabet, it is a way to help everything. ref DRT 1 2562  Jim also
162223 - explains Communication Metrics does not replace existing systems or
162224 - management practice, it improves everything because it improves
162225 - communication which impacts everything. ref DRT 1 9948
162226 -
162227 -
162228 -  ..
162229 - Intelligence Solves Information Overload
162230 -
162231 - The need to solve information overload is in para 3. ref DRT 1 4495
162232 - This supports Jim's assessment on 981119 that benefits of Intelligence
162233 - delivered by Internet are self-evident. ref SDS 27 2272
162234 -
162235 - Jim gives a strong endorsement that Communication Metrics can provide
162236 - an effective solution, and notes outstanding questions about cost
162237 - effectiveness, ref DRT 1 5220, without citing actual and estimated
162238 - cost savings reported by CESPN of $500K which cost the Corps less than
162239 - $50K, as we discussed on 990127. ref SDS 46 5655  This of course is
162240 - the focus of future use, to see if this record can be replicated.
162241 -
162242 - On 980803 Max requested guidance from HQ, ref SDS 20 3887, also on
162243 - 980520 made similar point. ref SDS 19 1235
162244 -
162245 -        [On 990305 reviewed with Tom Keesling. ref SDS 57 5600]
162246 -
162247 -      ..
162248 -     Implementation on Internet Saves Time and Cost
162249 -
162250 -     Jim does not mention using the Internet to support USACE goals for
162251 -     a paperless office environment.
162252 -
162253 -     On 990105 Jim cited "paperless contracting" procedures that need
162254 -     improvements.  He also noted that Communication Metrics supports a
162255 -     paperless work environment. ref SDS 42 1235
162256 -
162257 -     Possibly we can demonstrate the new advantage using the Internet
162258 -     to reduce paper handling, which further reduces costs, as reviewed
162259 -     on 990201. ref SDS 49 7399
162260 -
162261 -     CESPN-CSB reported recently on 981104 that Communication Metrics
162262 -     on the Internet is an advantage. ref SDS 24 0207
162263 -
162264 -        [On 990305 HQ draft standards for "Paperless Contracting" call
162265 -        for proactive implementation. ref SDS 57 9044]
162266 -
162267 -  ..
162268 - Project Review on Oakland Can Assess Com Metrics
162269 -
162270 - Jim recommends that Barry and his people in the Dredging department
162271 - review Communication Metrics. ref DRT 1 9948
162272 -
162273 -      Actually, the original thought was to commission a formal project
162274 -      review, similar to a project audit based on a 75% increase in
162275 -      final contract price. This is a common practice, unrelated to
162276 -      Communication Metrics. ref SDS 53 4232
162277 -
162278 -        [On 990426 Jim follows up with Barry. ref SDS 59 7080]
162279 -
162280 -      If a project review is undertaken, Communication Metrics could
162281 -      provide support with a detailed record of factors impacting the
162282 -      cost of the work.  This would expedite and reduce the cost of the
162283 -      review effort, and it would give HQUSACE direct experience using
162284 -      Communication Metrics, rather than simply reading about it.
162285 -
162286 -      For example, Dutra was awarded extra cost because areas
162287 -      designated "soft" on the plans turned out to have material that
162288 -      was "harder" than expected.  On 960920 Dutra maintained in a
162289 -      meeting that it had evidence which justified additional payment
162290 -      rather than a credit to the government under analysis by CESPN,
162291 -      which Dutra acknowledged was nominally correct. ref SDS 6 0558
162292 -
162293 -      A project review might determine what evidence turned a $400K
162294 -      credit to the government into a $5M+ extra payment to the
162295 -      contractor?  How does this record affect guidance on contract
162296 -      administration?
162297 -
162298 -      Example 2, on 961017 Dutra explained changed conditions in the
162299 -      character of material to be dredged. ref SDS 7 9951  On 961024
162300 -      the contract was reviewed to equitably pay for changed
162301 -      conditions. ref SDS 8 4933  On 961113 Dutra refused to produce
162302 -      evidence of toxic materials it claimed were encountered and
162303 -      escalated the cost above the government's $500K estimate to pay
162304 -      for changed conditions. ref SDS 10 6388
162305 -
162306 -      A project review might determine what evidence turned a $500K
162307 -      changed condition problem into $5M+?
162308 -
162309 -      Example 3, District issued report to CEMP on 971007 showing
162310 -      final estimated increase in contract price to contractor of about
162311 -      $10M.
162312 -
162313 -      A project review might determine what evidence turned a $10M+
162314 -      change into a $30M settlement on a $42M contract. ref SDS 23 9152
162315 -
162316 -
162317 -  ..
162318 - Wider Review of Communication Metrics Accomplished
162319 -
162320 - Jim sent copies to 4 other people, ref DRT 1 5088, and so this may be
162321 - a way of accomplishing the broader review for Communication Metrics,
162322 - discussed earlier this morning. ref SDS 0 5676
162323 -
162324 -
162325 -
162326 -
162327 -
1624 -