CONTACTS 
0201 - State of California
020101 - Department of Transportation
020102 - Mr. Iman Sallam, P.E.
020103 - Senior Transportation Engineer
020104 - Construction Program MS-44
020105 - Field Automation

SUBJECTS
Common Administration
Caltrans, Self-evident Cost Savings
Clear Concise Complete Communication
Demonstrate SDS, Communication Metrics
Diary Journal Record of Events
Litigation Support, Dispute Resolution
History Case Studies, Root Cause Analysis
Legal Disputes Won by Control of the Record
Intelligence Anytime Anywhere Delivered via Internet
Experience History Chronology Causation

2412 -
2412 -    ..
2413 - Summary/Objective
2414 -
241401 - Follow up ref SDS 28 0000, ref SDS 27 0000.
241402 -
241403 - Reviewed Communication Metrics on the Internet and found it may
241404 - support Caltrans' diary system to help daily management and expedite
241405 - resolution of claims.  Iman will suggest a field test, and request
241406 - comments on potential to support "partnering."  The next step is to
241407 - demonstrate Communication Metrics to Caltrans management.
241409 -  ..
241410 - Sent ref DIT 1 linked to this record.
241411 -
241412 -     [On 990416 Iman scheduled meeting for 990430. ref SDS 29 8760]
241413 -
241415 -  ..
2415 -
2416 -
2417 - Discussion
2418 -
241801 - Communication Metrics Enhances Caltrans Diary System
241802 -
241803 - Follow up ref SDS 28 2330.
241804 -
241805 - Iman received my letter ref DIP 6 on our discussion yesterday.  We
241806 - logged onto the Internet and used the agenda in the record for 990413,
241807 - ref SDS 28 4967, to guide our meeting today.
241809 -  ..
241810 - Imam feels the SDS method of anytime, anywhere "intelligence" can help
241811 - Caltrans. ref OF 1 6649  For example, in a teleconference with 2, 20
241812 - or 100 people, everyone would have common access to information in
241813 - real-time, and would have simultaneous links to relevant history.
241815 -  ..
241816 - People can comment using email to supplement the record.  Click on the
241817 - author's name at the top of the record. ref SDS 0  Or, click on the
241818 - "Action Item" line that says "Click here to comment." ref SDS 0 AI
241820 -  ..
241821 - In a meeting tomorrow Iman will discuss testing Communication Metrics
241822 - for automating Caltrans' RE diary system.
241823 -
241824 -      [On 990420 this meeting changed to 990430. ref SDS 30 7056
241825 -
241826 -      [On 990430 Com Metrics can support design. ref SDS 31 3468
241828 -  ..
241829 - Currently Area Resident Engineers (ARE) prepares a diary.  The
241830 - Resident Engineer (RE) is required to prepare a summary for the day of
241831 - all ARE diaries, but often fall behind, and wind up preparing a weekly
241832 - or monthly summary, due to limited time.  The SDS program can support
241833 - this work, and make it more useful, as seen from the diary for
241834 - yesterday. ref SDS 28 2635   This improves the solution of eliminating
241835 - the Diary as USACE reported on 970310, ref SDS 12 2325, by ensuring
241836 - timely "intelligence" and understanding, which is the purpose of
241837 - "traceability to original sources," called out by ISO criteria
241838 - reviewed on 950721. ref SDS 10 1740
241839 -
241840 -      [On 990525 IT engineers don't like to write and managers don't
241841 -      allocate enough time. ref SDS 32 0966
241843 -       ..
241844 -      [On 990625 Kaiser requires documentation for patient/doctor
241845 -      communication. ref SDS 33 0806
241847 -  ..
241848 - Iman cited an example where considerable effort was required to review
241849 - Caltrans' RE diaries for information on dispute resolution, and
241850 - litigation support.   He said Caltrans suffered $40M loss on this
241851 - matter, so he feels the need for improvement is acute and well
241852 - understood at Caltrans.
241854 -  ..
241855 - The SDS program manages details of diary entries so it only takes
241856 - seconds to assemble chronologies on specific subjects, as reported on
241857 - 981027. ref SDS 15 7315
241859 -  ..
241860 - This saves a lot of time, money and frustration.
241862 -  ..
241863 - No one likes to cull documents and diaries.  SDS does it instantly,
241864 - e.g., on 970417 ref SDS 13 1536  Previously on 891201 a law firm for
241865 - an architect on the Santa Clara jail project, used a staff of 5 people
241866 - and a $50K document management program that missed evidence the client
241867 - was not liable for $40M in claims.  SDS found it. ref SDS 1 3890
241869 -  ..
241870 - The SDS diary also avoids daily frustrations of small mistakes so they
241871 - do not grow into big, costly problems.
241872 -
241874 -  ..
241875 - SDS Program Supports Communication Metrics to Reduce "Paperwork"
241876 -
241877 - Communication Metrics is a new management science for using technology
241878 - to help managers and executives, as explained on the web site...
241879 -
241880 -                     http://www.welchco.com
241882 -  ..
241883 - An explanation for briefing Caltrans' management is in the diary for
241884 - yesteday. ref SDS 28 2635
241886 -  ..
241887 - The Schedule Diary System (SDS) supports Communication Metrics as
241888 - reported by US Army Corps of Engineers. ref DIP 7 8960
241890 -  ..
241891 - Iman sees the advantage of using the Internet to reduce reliance on
241892 - paper and speed information processing.
241894 -  ..
241895 - This was illustrated by the printed report I brought today, issued on
241896 - 970328 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  We looked at the same
241897 - report online. ref DRP 4  Iman noticed that references are instantly
241898 - accessible online, which are not available in the printed report.
241900 -  ..
241901 - Managers can work efficiently and effectively using this method to get
241902 - information for making decisions. ref DRP 4 6172
241903 -
241904 - "Intelligence" for management is explained at ref OF 1 0582.
241906 -  ..
241907 - Under current practice, managers gradually accumulate documents on
241908 - their desk that are rarely used, but need to be handy for occassinal
241909 - reference.  Things get covered up by new documents, and so are
241910 - overlooked.  Communication Metrics organizes everything, ref DRP 4
241911 - 6599, shoving all that paper into the computer so it is available when
241912 - needed, and it is linked to everything else that is needed. ref DRP 4
241913 - 5733
241914 -
241916 -  ..
241917 - Government Managers Find SDS Records Useful
241918 -
241919 - Follow up ref SDS 28 4158.
241920 -
241921 - SDS "records" are diary reports like this one.
241922 -
241923 - Iman and I looked at the diary for the meeting on 940901 with DWR
241924 - showing that State employees who manage major projects find SDS
241925 - records and Communication Metrics methods easy to apply, ref SDS 6
241926 - 4920, and very useful. ref SDS 7 8841
241928 -  ..
241929 - Contractors are also helped by an effective record, as reported on
241930 - 970107. ref SDS 11 4953
241932 -  ..
241933 - A Communication Manager uses SDS (like a "pilot") to help managers
241934 - capture the record and assemble useful "intelligence" for managing the
241935 - work.  On 911205 the collaboration role was defined. ref SDS 2 8402
241936 - This gives executives a lot of "fire power." ref SDS 9 0550 from
241937 - review on 950204
241938 -
241940 -  ..
241941 - Better Management Saves Money
241942 -
241943 - Cost savings using Communication Metrics come from 3 sources.
241944 -
241945 -    1.  Reduced time fixing mistakes, commonly called "rework" (see
241946 -        definition in report on 971007. ref DRP 5 4680)
241948 -         ..
241949 -    2.  Reduced payout on claims, including litigation expense.
241951 -         ..
241952 -    3.  Reduced time and expense handling traditional documents.
241954 -  ..
241955 - On 971007 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reported a study showing cost
241956 - savings (i.e. ROI) for Communication Metrics are in the range of 10:1.
241957 - ref DRP 5 0129
241959 -  ..
241960 - On 981027 additinal savings were reported. ref SDS 15 7315
241962 -  ..
241963 - On 990201 calculated savings from reduced "paperwork.", ref SDS 17
241964 - 7399,
241965 -
241967 -  ..
241968 - Common Administration and Partnering
241969 -
241970 - Iman will ask a colleague for comments on Common Administration to
241971 - make "partnering" productive, as explained on 980328. ref SDS 22 9641
241972 -
241973 - "Partnering" was found to have defects which can be fixed by a system
241974 - of Communication Metrics, from review on 940103, ref SDS 4 9674, and
241975 - on 940105. ref SDS 5 7493
241976 -
241977 -     [On 990420 called Iman to follow up. ref SDS 30 4464
241979 -      ..
241980 -     [On 990625 Kaiser trying partnership. ref SDS 33 4185]
241982 -  ..
241983 - Iman indicated that initially Caltrans will probably want to test
241984 - Communication Metrics as support for its project management.  If this
241985 - is successful, Common Administration can be considered to enhance
241986 - partnering.
241987 -
241989 -  ..
241990 - Proposal Submission and Follow Up on Testing Com Metrics
241991 -
241992 - We reviewed the Scope of Services and deliverables for testing
241993 - Communication Metrics. ref DRP 4 4929
241994 -
241995 - Iman indicated the Office Engineer role might be expanded to perform
241996 - Communication Metrics.  For the first test, Rod will be the first
241997 - "pilot" for SDS.  If this works, we will develop a training program
241998 - for 2 - 4 Caltrans staff to develop integration with organizational
241999 - culture and management practice.
242001 -  ..
242002 - Ideally, we would like to interview REs and OEs to select a setting
242003 - that can permit a fair test.  This can be an existing project that is
242004 - in trouble, provided staff is open to being helped.  Communication
242005 - Metrics fixes "problem" projects; but, we want to avoid having to
242006 - fight through the people we are helping. Of course a new project would
242007 - provide a clean test.  Big organizations like Caltrans always have
242008 - people who are relatively more receptive to new methods and are
242009 - anxious to get help, while others are less open.  We would like to try
242010 - and select the former for a test.
242011 - ..
242012 - Iman will talk to John McMillan about our meeting.
242014 -  ..
242015 - Iman will send me an email on the results of our meeting today, and
242016 - schedule a presentation to Caltrans' management for approval of a
242017 - field test.
242018 -
242019 -       [On 990416 Iman scheduled meeting for 990430. ref SDS 29 8760]
242020 -     ..
242021 -     Getting Caltrans staff to begin writing about Communication
242022 -     Metrics is the first step toward understand this new capability.
242023 -
242024 -       [On 990420 Iman will submit a letter on this. ref SDS 30 4464]
242026 -      ..
242027 -     Iman noted that it is a little overwhelming.
242029 -      ..
242030 -     A Communication Manager enables SDS technology to be productive
242031 -     immediately while people absorb the process and discover the
242032 -     benefits of automated management.  We cannot do it all at once. If
242033 -     we take a first step and gain acceptance by some, then
242034 -     incorporating into the broader culture can be successful (see for
242035 -     example, discussion with Jim Lovo, HQ U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
242036 -     on 990105. ref SDS 16 5880)
242037 -
242038 -
242039 -
242040 -
242041 -
2421 -