Proposals andProposals andProgress Progress ReportsReports

Module Module Twenty OneTwenty One

Copyright © 2014 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.McGraw-Hill/Irwin

Learning Objectives

LO 21-1 Define reports in the workplace.LO 21-2 Estimate time for business proposal writing.LO 21-3 Identify sections for business proposal

organization.LO 21-4 Identify “hot buttons” for business proposal

strategies and beyond.LO 21-5 Identify sections for progress report

organization.

21-2

Steps in Writing Any Report

21-3

What is a “report”?

Formal reports contain formal elements such as a title page, a

transmittal, a table of contents, and a list of illustrations.

Informal reports may be letters and memos or even computer

printouts of production or sales figures.

21-4

What is a “report”?

Information reports collect data for the reader,

Analytical reports interpret data but do not recommend action

Recommendation reports Recommend action or a solution.

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Three Levels of Reports

21-6

Allocating Time in Writing a Proposal (Your time may vary.)

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What should I do before I write a proposal?

Narrow your problem Identify the specific problem Identify the specific audience that would

have the power to implement your recommendations

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What should I do before I write a proposal?

A good purpose statement makes three things clear:

The organizational problem or conflict. The specific technical questions that must be

answered to solve the problem. The rhetorical purpose of the report.

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Relationship among Situation, Proposal, and Final Report

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What should go in a proposal?

What problem are you going to solve? How are you going to solve it? What exactly will you provide for us? Can you deliver what you promise? What benefits can you offer? When will you complete the work? How much will you charge?

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Proposals for Class Research Projects

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Sales Proposals

For everything you offer, show the reader benefits

Use language appropriate for your audience.

With long proposals, provide a one-page cover letter

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Identifying “Hot Buttons”

Hot buttons issues to which your

audience has a strong emotional response.

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Identifying “Hot Buttons”

To identify them Study your audience’s preferences and

motivations Be aware they may make your audience’s

decisions seem illogical

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What should go in a progress report?

You can use progress reports to:Enhance your imageFloat trial balloonsMinimize potential problems

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What should go in a progress report?

Negative: I have not deviated markedly from my schedule, and I feel that I will have very little trouble completing this report by the due date.

Positive: I am back on schedule and expect to complete my report by the due date.

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What should go in a progress report?

Types Chronological Task Recommendation

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Chronological Progress Reports

1. Summarize your progress in terms of your goals and your original schedule.

2. Under the heading Work Completed, describe what you have already done.

3. Under the heading Work to Be Completed, describe the work that remains.

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Chronological Progress Reports

4. Either express your confidence in having the report ready by the due date or request a conference to discuss extending the due date or limiting the project.

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Task Progress Reports

Organize information under the various tasks you have worked on during the period.

Under each heading, the group could discuss the tasks it has completed and those that remain.

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Recommendation Progress Reports

When the recommendation will be easy for the reader to accept, use the Direct Request pattern of organization from Module 12.

If the recommendation is likely to meet strong resistance, the Problem-Solving pattern may be more effective.

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