One day
This workshop enables your people to produce effective, well-constructed reports that have clarity and impact and fully meet your organization’s requirements.
Participants are guided through a process of planning out their reports so that the main points and supporting detail reflect the reader’s needs and priorities. In writing their first draft following their plans, participants are encouraged to express their ideas clearly and concisely, using plain English. They are then encouraged to edit their reports to clarify and strengthen the message.
Program topics
Planning techniques
- Think before you write
- Prepare a plan
- Apply mind-mapping techniques
- Apply planning techniques to writing a short business email
- Practise writing your first draft following your plan
Planning the report
- Identify the objective(s)of the report
- Identify the readership, their needs, priorities and interests
- Identify any official guidelines or requirements
- Select supporting information strategically
- Identify the required level and detail of supporting information
- Plan the collection and organization of the required information
- Use the correct structure and layout
- Plan the key points for each section
- Present your outline plan persuasively
Developing the skill of complex summarizing
- Apply a technique for preparing summaries of complex information
- Practise expressing your ideas concisely and with precision
Writing the report
- Express complex ideas and information simply and concisely in plain English
- Avoid the most common errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure and word usage
- Write the report with your communication objectives in mind
Reviewing the report
- Develop a critical attitude to your own writing
- Check for clarity, conciseness, effectiveness and persuasiveness
- Edit to clarify and strengthen your message
Course objectives
- Plan your business proposals and reports clearly and logically
- Define your reader’s needs and interest
- Write persuasively to meet your reader’s needs
- Write clearly, concisely and with impact
- Edit to increase the power and persuasiveness of your first draft
- Develop a professional style and tone
Who should attend
Any business professionals who need to write successful reports.
The course is interactive and includes a high level of participation in work-relevant exercises. Participants are invited to bring a sample of their work for review by the trainer.