Business Writing: Planning the Project/Report
Business Communication: Planning the Project/Report
Planning the Project/Report
Business Writing: Planning the Project/Report
Business Communication: Planning the Project/Report
Planning the Project/Report
• Position
• Problem
• Possibilities
• Proposals
Business Writing: Planning the Project/Report
Business Communication: Planning the Project/Report
Position
• Analyse your audience
– Primary reader (request/authorise the report)
– Secondary reader(s)
• Consider background information needed for readers
• Define scope and limitations
Business Writing: Planning the Project/Report
Business Communication: Planning the Project/Report
Scope and Limitations
• Scope - the boundaries of your investigation
• Limitations - anything which hinders or limits the quality of your research/findings of the report
Business Writing: Planning the Project/Report
Business Communication: Planning the Project/Report
Example 1
• TriTech - Travel & entertainment expenses are eating into profits
• VP of Administration asks Director of Accounting Services to investigate
Business Writing: Planning the Project/Report
Business Communication: Planning the Project/Report
Position
Who is the report for?
• Primary reader: VP of Administration
• Secondary readers: Company’s CEO; President of Administration
Business Writing: Planning the Project/Report
Business Communication: Planning the Project/Report
Position
What do the reader(s) need in terms of background information?
• TriTech’s company philosophy
• reasons for authorisation of report
• authoriser of the report
Business Writing: Planning the Project/Report
Business Communication: Planning the Project/Report
Position
• Scope: Travel and entertainment expenses by employees in the last two years
• Limitation(s): Precise financial impact of cost-saving measures difficult to project due to fluctuations in airfares and hotel rates
Business Writing: Planning the Project/Report
Business Communication: Planning the Project/Report
Problem
• Problem statement defines what you are investigating
• Problem is usually defined by the person authorising the report
• Purpose statement defines the objective of the report
Business Writing: Planning the Project/Report
Business Communication: Planning the Project/Report
What
1. Identify the problem
Why
How
do we spend on T & E?
are T & E expenses so high?
can T & E expenditure be reduced?
Problem
Business Writing: Planning the Project/Report
Business Communication: Planning the Project/Report
To analyse
2. Develop a purpose statement
To evaluate
To suggest
the T & E budget
the impact of recent changes
ways to tighten control
Problem
Business Writing: Planning the Project/Report
Business Communication: Planning the Project/Report
Possibilities
• Consider all possibilities
• Make sure the possibilities are relevant
• Be mindful of biased thinking
Else
Conclusions and recommendations will be invalid if the actual causes of the problem are not identified in the report.
Business Writing: Planning the Project/Report
Business Communication: Planning the Project/Report
• Company X - organised training programme for its staff
• Report to evaluate employees’ attitude towards the programme
Example 2
Business Writing: Planning the Project/Report
Business Communication: Planning the Project/Report
1. Identify all relevant issues
job satisfaction
selection for programme
class time
duration of programme
Possibilities
Business Writing: Planning the Project/Report
Business Communication: Planning the Project/Report
2. Formulate hypotheses
Hypothesis - an unproved theory, proposition,
etc., tentatively accepted to explain certain
facts or to provide a basis for further
investigation.
Possibilities
Business Writing: Planning the Project/Report
Business Communication: Planning the Project/Report
2. Formulate hypotheses
• Workers’ level of job satisfaction is higher after taking the class.
• Workers are dissatisfied with the selection procedures to identify participants.
• Workers dislike class times.
• Workers believe programme is too long.
Possibilities
Business Writing: Planning the Project/Report
Business Communication: Planning the Project/Report
List tentative solutions to the problem
(based on the hypotheses)
Proposals
Business Writing: Planning the Project/Report
Business Communication: Planning the Project/Report
Hypothesis - Workers are dissatisfied with theselection procedures to identify participants
Proposal - Allow workers to volunteer for the programme
Proposals
Business Writing: Planning the Project/Report
Business Communication: Planning the Project/Report
Hypothesis - Workers dislike class times
Proposal - Continue class times afterworking hours, but offer incentives; eg. leave in lieu or shopping vouchers
Proposals
Business Writing: Planning the Project/Report
Business Communication: Planning the Project/Report
Hypothesis - Workers believe programmeis too long
Proposal - Revise and shorten programmebased on staff input
Proposals
Business Writing: Planning the Project/Report
Business Communication: Planning the Project/Report
Position
Problem
Possibilities
Proposals
Introduction• background/problem• purpose• scope & limitations
Findings
Recommendations
Conclusions