Business Communication: Chapter 13 Planning Reports and Proposals

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1. Adapt the three-step writing process to reports and proposals

• Given the length and complexity of many reports, it’s crucial to define your purpose clearly so you don’t waste time with unnecessary rework.
• In some cases, you’ll be told the purpose of the report; in others, it’s up to you to identify the purpose.

2. Explain the value of a work plan in the development of long reports

• A detailed work plan saves time and often helps produce a more effective report.
• Some reports require formal research projects in order to gather all the necessary information.
• In some situations, you may be required to use a specific medium for your reports.
• Expect to deliver many or most of your reports in electronic format.
• Most business reports use the direct approach.
• Use the indirect approach when you need to build support for your main idea or you want to avoid coming across as arrogant.
• Long reports sometime combine direct and indirect approaches, building support for interim conclusions or recommendations along the way.
• Audience expectations are one of the most important considerations when deciding on the organization of a report.
• Informational reports are used to monitor and control operations, to implement policies and procedures, to demonstrate compliance and to document progress.
• Progress reports range from simple, informal updates to comprehensive status reports.
• A topical organization is buiolt around the content itself, using such a arrangements as comparism, importance, sequence, chronology, spatial orientation, geography, or category.

3. List the key elements of a business plan

• Formal business plans, particularly those used to solicit outside investment, must meet a specific set of reader expectations.

4. Identify three steps you can take to ensure effective organization of online reports and other website content.

• Although many websites and website sections function as information reports, the unique nature of online communication requires special consideration.
• A typical company website has multiple purposes and multiple audiences that need to be addressed during the planning process.
• Map out the various paths that different types of users are likely to take through your website and then develop content to fit this structure.
• Analytical reports are used to assess opportunities, to solve problems, and to support decisions.
• Clarify the problem in an analytical report by determining what you need to analyze, why the issue is important, who is involved, where the trouble is located, and how and when the trouble started.
• Use problem factoring to divide a complex problem into more manageable pieces.
• Before you choose and approach, determine whether your audience is receptive or skeptical.

5. discuss three major ways to organize analytical reports

• When readers want to know what you think they should do, organize your report to focus on recommendations.
• Whenever a recommendation carries some element of risk, you owe it to your audience to maker this clear.
• Two common logical arguments are the 2+2=4 approach (adding everything up) and the yeardstick approach (comparing solution against criteria).
• Start by considering using the 2+2=4 approach; it is familiar and easy to develop.
• The yeardstick approach compares a solution or several solutions to a set of predetermined standards.
• Buyers often solicit proposals by publishing a request for proposals (RFP).
• Unsolicited proposals require additional persuasive elements because the audience isn’t expecting a proposal and might not even be conscious of the problem you propose to solve.
• Every proposal competes for something, whether it is money, time, attention, or something else.

6. Explain how to choose an organizational strategy when writing a proposal.

• Using the indirect approach, following AIDA or a similar model, is often the best way to build your case in an unsolicited proposal.

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