Applying three step writing
process
KEC Publication
Planning business message
Three steps
• Plan
•
•
•
•
Analyze situation
Gather information
Select right medium
Organize information
• Write
• Adapt to the audience
• Complete the draft
• Complete
• Revise
• Edit
• Distribute
Analyzing the Situation
• What does analyzing the situation mean or imply?
Analyzing the situation
• Defining your purpose
• Developing an audience profile
• Gathering information
• Selecting the right medium
• Organizing your information
Defining the purpose
• Identifying the general purpose
• Inform (low communication control)
• Persuade (medium communication control)
• Collaborate (high communication control)
• Identifying specific purpose
• Finding how the audience’s ideas, behavior, or action should be affected by
the message
• Is your purpose realistic?
• Is the time right?
• Is your purpose acceptable to your organization?
Developing an audience profile
• Identify your primary audience
• Determine audience size and geographic distribution
• Determine audience composition
• Gauge audience members’ level of understanding
• Understand audience’s expectations and preference
• Forecast probable audience reaction/ response
Gathering information
• Consider the audience’s perspective
• Read reports and other company documents
• Talk with supervisors/ colleagues as appropriate
• Ask audience for input
• Uncover audience’s needs
• By asking clarification, if not sure what exactly the audience wants
• Providing required information
• Make sure the information is correct/ ethical
Providing required information
• Be sure the information is accurate
• Double check every information you’ve collected
• Decide whether they are current and reliable
• Check all dates and schedules, financial calculations
• Be sure the information is ethical
• Include enough details to avoid misleading
• If mistakes occur, inform the audience and rectify
• Avoid false, exaggerated information
• Be sure information is pertinent
• Decide what is important
• Avoid information load
• Focus on the information that concerns the audience
Selecting the right medium
• Oral media
• Written media
• Visual media
• Electronic media
•
•
•
•
Oral
Written
Visual
Multimedia
What factors should we take into
consideration while choosing a medium?
Factors to consider while choosing a medium
• Media richness
• More than one informational cues
• Facilitate feedback
• Establish personal focus
• Message formality
• Media limitations
• Urgency
• Cost
• Audience preferences
Organizing information
• Defining main ideas
• Limiting your scope
• Choosing between direct and indirect approaches
• Outlining your content
For this—
• Start with the main idea
• State the major points
• Illustrate each point with evidence/ examples
Practicum: homework
• Follow the instruction on the worksheet