Planning Reports and Proposals

1. Creating Effective Reports and Proposals
--- reports: written accounts the objectively communicate information about some aspect of a business
---informal reports: offer data, facts, feedback, and other types of info without analysis or recommendations
--- analytical reports: offer both information and analysis and included recommendations
---proposals: special category of reports that combine information delivery and persuasive communication
--- reports can be for internal and external readers
Here is a site for the wrtiting of effective reports and proposals:
http://www.writinghelp-central.com/business-reports.html

2. Applying the 3 step writing process to reports or proposals
- Analyzing the situation
--- because of the length and complexity of most reports, it is important to define your purpose
--- Defining your Purpose
------ sometimes you are told and sometimes you must identify
------statement of purpose: defines why you are preparing the report
--- Preparing your work plan
------ saves time and produces a more effective report
------ formal work may contain (1) statement of the problem (2) state the purpose and scope (3) discuss tasks to be accomplished (4) describe any additional products and activities (5) review project assignments, schedules, and resources (6) plans for the follow up delivery of the report (7) working outline
- Gathering information
---some reports require formal research projects to gather necessary information
- Selecting the right medium
--- may be required to use a specific medium
--- deliver more formal reports electronically
- Organizing your information
--- most business reports use the direct approach
--- indirect approach to build support for the main idea or to avoid being arrogant
--- Long reports combine direct and indirect approaches, build support for interm conclusions or recommendations
--- Consider audience expectations when deciding on the organization of report
- Organizational strategies for informational reports
--- topical organization is built around the content itself using: comparison, importance, sequence, chronology, spatial orientation, geography, or category
---Creating successful business plans
------ Particularly to solicit investment, must meet specific expectations
------ cover: summary, mission and objectives, company and industry, products or services, market and competition, management, operations plan, overall schedule, risks and problems, and exit strategy
--- Organizing website content
------ make sure to keep in mind: (1) web readers are demanding (2) reading online can be difficult (3) nonlinear, multidimensional medium
------ multiple purposes and multiple audiences need to be addressed during planning
------ informative architecture: describe the structure and navigational flow of all parts of a website
------ map various paths and different types of users are to take through your website and develop content to fit
Here is a website with strp by step instructions in making your first website:
http://www.adobe.com/devnet/dreamweaver/articles/first_website_pt1.html

3. Planning Analytical reports
--- to analyze, understand, and explain and to think through a problem or a opportunity
--- 3 Categories: (1) reports to assess opportunities (2) reports to solve problems (3) reports to support decisions
--- clarify the problem by determining what to analyze, why the issue is important, who is involved, where the trouble is located, and how and when it started
--- problem factoring: a series of logical, connected questions
---hypothesis: potential explanation that needs to be tested
- Organizational Strategies for analytical reporting
--- before choosing, determine whether your audience is receptive or skeptical
--- Focusing on conclusions
------ best approach when addressing a receptive audience
--- Focusing on Recommendations
------when readers want to know what you think they should do =>focus on recommendations
------ If there is a risk involved, inform your audience
--- Focusing on Logical Arguments
------2+2=4 Approach: convinces readers of your point of view by demonstrating that everything adds up
------Yardstick approach: use a number or criteria to evaluate one or more possible solutions
This is a website showing how to write an analytical report:
http://www.ehow.com/how_5142708_write-analytical-report.html

4. Planning proposals
--- requests for proposals: (RFP) includes instructions that specify exactly the type of work to be performed or products to be delivered. Buyers solicit proposals by punishing a request
--- unsolicited proposals require additional persuasive element => audience isn’t expecting a proposal and might not be conscious of the problem you propose to solve
--- every proposal competes for something
- Organizational Strategies for Proposals
--- using the indirect approach is the best way to build a case in an unsolicited proposal
This site gives examples of project and business proposals:
http://www.writinghelptools.com/proposal-sample.html