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
Common Administration
Oakland Harbor Project
Common Understandings, Build and Maintain, SDS Meeting Notes
Knowledge Space

1711 -    ..
1712 - Summary/Objective
1713 -
171301 - Follow up ref SDS 13 0000.
171302 -
171303 - Sent ref DIT 1 asking Jim about...
171304 -
171305 -     1.  Progress on the project review he recommended for Oakland on
171306 -         990304, ref SDS 13 3274 in his letter, ref DRP 4
171307 -
171308 -           [On 990414 called Jim about progress. ref SDS 17 4377]
171309 -         ..
171310 -     2.  Was he able to demonstrate "intelligence" described in
171311 -         his letter, ref SDS 13 1362, by forwarding the version on the
171312 -         Internet, per my letter. ref DIP 4 3462
171313 -
171314 -         Did Jim's colleagues recognize self-evident cost savings of a
171315 -         "paperless" office that Jim cited on 981119? ref SDS 10 2272
171316 -
171317 -           [On 990426 it appears Jim has not distributed the record via
171318 -           email, per idea in point 2 above. ref SDS 19 4284]
171319 -
171320 -           [On 990506 Jim plans to distribute record on the web to
171321 -           illustrate self-evident benefits. ref SDS 20 4732]
171322 -
171323 -
171324 -  ..
171325 - Communciation Metrics for CEMP
171326 -
171327 - Jim points out in his letter on 990304 that a project review on
171328 - Oakland is "out of his lane." ref DRP 4 5360
171329 -
171330 - There are two uses of Communication Metrics that may fall within Jim's
171331 - functional area, and also fit his staff capability.
171332 -         ..
171333 -     a.  Organic Subject Structure makes Technology Effective.
171334 -     
171335 -         Methods developed for the Moscone Convention Center in
171336 -         October, 1998 shows how information for building projects can
171337 -         be managed to avoid communication problems.  See example on
171338 -         990126 issuing HQUSACE report on Communication Metrics, that
171339 -         waste time and frustrate management. ref SDS 11 4368
171340 -
171341 -         This method extends common WBS practices that are widely
171342 -         applied on projects, and so should fit CEMP's staff
171343 -         capability.
171344 -         ..
171345 -     b.  Common Administration and Partnering...
171346 -         proposed on 971021. ref SDS 7 0621
171347 -
171348 -             [On 990827 Common Admin proposed to NSF as means for
171349 -             overcoming emotional resistance to improving management.
171350 -             ref SDS 23 0001]
171351 -
171352 -         Current practice requires contractors and owners to perform
171353 -         redundant communication tasks, which neither has the time nor
171354 -         the tools to accomplish (see USAF study reviewed on 970707,
171355 -         ref SDS 6 0108)  Current trends to use technology increase the
171356 -         information problem beyond the limits of people to cope due to
171357 -         limited span of attention (see review of scientific paper on
171358 -         990303, ref SDS 12 0920)  This causes mistakes, extra cost and
171359 -         delay, which are compounded by stress, conflict and disputes.
171360 -         Customers and contractors alike are disappointed; yet, neither
171361 -         on its own can solve the problem.
171362 -
171363 -             [On 990419 Dave Buoncristiani, Esq, indicated support for
171364 -             Common Administration. ref SDS 18 9420]
171365 -
171366 -             [On 990506 notified HQ USACE partnering manager about
171367 -             Common Administration. ref SDS 20 8820]
171368 -
171369 -             [On 990716 Com Admin may solve tension in binary owner -
171370 -             contractor relationship. ref SDS 21 3672]
171371 -
171372 -             [On 990728 asked about Com Admin in letter on balancing
171373 -             risks and benefits of Internet communication. ref SDS 22
171374 -             0624]
171375 -
171376 -         See examples of problem on 950327. ref SDS 3 0200
171377 -
171378 -         "Partnering" has been tried to improve communication, see on
171379 -         940105. ref SDS 2 7493  On 940103 USACE Chief Counsel advised
171380 -         "partnering" should save money. ref SDS 1 1236  However, on
171381 -         981027 USACE paid $30M for claims on a $42M job. ref SDS 9
171382 -         9152  Partnering fails for the reasons reviewed on 940103...
171383 -         ref SDS 1 0572, because communication requires time and tools
171384 -         to create useful "intelligence." ref OF 1 0582  No one has
171385 -         time nor the tools to do this.  Everyone is overwhelmed by the
171386 -         "noise" of information overload, ref SDS 3 0200; yet, few can
171387 -         sustain change long enough for benefits to be established due
171388 -         to the allure of "feel good" management. ref SDS 15 9769
171389 -
171390 -          ..
171391 -
171392 -                     K N O W L E D G E     S P A C E
171393 -
171394 -         Common Administration creates a common record using tools and
171395 -         practices of Communication Metrics that delivers timely
171396 -         "intelligence" via Internet, saving time and cost under a
171397 -         "paperless" - "virtual" office reviewed on 971021 in planning
171398 -         the Com Metrics Internet system of "intelligence". ref SDS 8
171399 -         3636
171400 -
171401 -         On 970710 this solution was found helpful by a contractor.
171402 -         ref SDS 5 4953
171403 -
171404 -         Surveyors set common diminsional space to locate structures;
171405 -         so, too, a Communication Manager establishes common "knowledge
171406 -         space" to locate information by adding "intelligence" to
171407 -         management. ref OF 1 0582  This solves the problem of nobody
171408 -         having time to create an adequate record, and conflicting
171409 -         records that cause mistakes, rework, delay, extra cost,
171410 -         conflict and stress.  Communication Metrics enables managers
171411 -         to obtain intelligence when needed, using the Organic Subject
171412 -         Structure cited in point 1. ref SDS 0 9792
171413 -
171414 -            [On 991025 knowledge space defined within wider goal for
171415 -            Enterprise Management. ref SDS 24 2392]
171416 -
171417 -         On 990304 HQUSACE found Communication Metrics helps solve
171418 -         information overload. ref SDS 13 1362
171419 -
171420 -         "Knowledge Space" was developed on 960620, ref SDS 4 3516, to
171421 -         support a concept of "Concurrent Discovery" thas reduces the
171422 -         cost and surprise of legal discovery. ref SDS 4 1101
171423 -
171424 -         Parties would agree in the contract to submit within 10 days
171425 -         any corrections, and if none are submitted, then no further
171426 -         information could be submitted in any subsequent proceeding,
171427 -         e.g., at trial.
171428 -
171429 -         The Communication Manager would determine claims based on the
171430 -         record, which could be appealed to judicial review based on
171431 -         the record.  This would reduce the cost of a de novo trial.
171432 -
171433 -         The cost of this support would be approximately 1% - 3%, and
171434 -         generally would not be recognized as an additional cost based
171435 -         on bid variances for most projects.
171436 -
171437 -
171438 -
171439 -
171440 -
1715 -