Writing for CIEG 461 Prof. Stephen A. Bernhardt Dept of English Kirkpatrick Chair University of Delaware September 23, 2002

Types of Documents Plans to govern work Memos and letters to keep work flowing Proposals to describe and persuade Reports to detail, analyze, and interpret Presentations to deliver

Building Blocks of Writing What are you trying to do? Purpose Who will use the document? Audience What is the best approach? Strategy How should it be designed? Usability

Planning document What are you trying to do? Purpose, goals, deliverables Who will use the document? Your team, your manager What is the best approach? Detail on tasks, roles, & deadlines How should it be designed? Graphic, organized, explicit

Planning document Project overview Team and contact info Goals and deliverables Tasks, milestones, critical path activities Team rules Schedule, time allocation Budget

Why plan? Teams with shared visions (in writing) work better. Teams need rules and schedules (and wiggle room). Teamwork demands complex resource planning.

Why do teams break down? Failure to communicate Freeloaders Competing or unexpected events Unresolved personal and procedural conflict Groupthink, early closure Not seeing writing as part of the work

Why do documents fail? Procrastination—writing after work is completed Details overwhelm messages: not focused on key issues Not designed for users; not visually informative Paste-up job rather than collaborative design and delivery

Proposal Building Blocks Audience— prospective customer Purpose—convince customer that you offer best service to solve problem Strategy—show benefits, deliverables Usability—emphasize client concerns

Proposal Quality Responsive to RFP—shared mission Clear need Quality of deliverables Credible expertise: ability to perform Realistic schedule and budget

Be Deductive and Explicit Purpose and scope up front Preview main messages and issues Lead sentences on sections and paragraphs—top line skim Plenty of navigation devices Emphasis on most important sell points

Elements of Design Effective formatting, layout, and design Headers and footers Page numbers Consistent use of styles White space for separation and emphasis

Elements of Proposal Front matter Body Back matter

Front Matter Orients the Reader Cover with title, date, sponsor, proposer Executive summary or abstract Table of contents for organization

Sample Cover Layout Construction of an All-Composite Bridge on Business Route 896 Submitted by Nova Engineering to The State of Delaware September 24, 2001

Body of Proposal Provides Main Elements Introduction and overview Statement of problem Proposed solution with objectives Methods and materials Work plan: milestones, deliverables, checkpoints Schedule (high level graphic) Budget: costs and benefits

Introduction Reviews the project context: Who requested the work? Why? For what outcome or benefit? Overviews the plan of this proposal

Statement of Problem Provides clear and compelling description of the problem Defines the need Discusses any critical issues associated with the problem Details any constraints on the problem's solution

Proposed solution Identifies broad strategy or planned approaches Lists specific, measurable outcomes to be accomplished Ties objectives clearly to problem

Methods and materials Describes in detail what the team proposes to do to find a solution (action steps) Includes specifics—amounts, numbers, locations, tools, instruments, etc.

Work Plan (in proposal) Focuses on management of the project Shows how the team will be coordinated, scheduled, and monitored Commits to dates (aggressive or realistic or both) Works at high level for client

Schedule Presented in visual format Places all activities on a timeline Highlights critical or key activities Convinces audience that the timeline is realistic Serves as the proposal “at a glance”

Budget Presented in visual format Provides rationale and commentary (budget narrative) Forecasts/determines costs for staff, materials, support, and overhead

Back Matter Documents Details Bibliography or references Appendices Computer documentation Questionnaire or survey instruments Full resumes Raw data to back up summary points made in the body of the proposal

Remember Your Purpose So tell me quick and tell me true Or else, my friend, to hell with you Less, how this product came to be More, what the damn thing does for me Technology Transfer Poem, Martin Walker, Cray Research

Writing Resources UD Writing Center ( ), basement of Memorial Hall Diane Kukich Strunk and White’s Elements of Style Brusaw, Alred, and Oliu, Handbook of Technical Writing