Harvard ManageMentor WRITING SKILLS TOOLS

Focus Sheet
Answer these questions as the first step in any writing task.
Purpose
Why am I writing this?

What do I want the reader to do?

Audience
Who exactly is my reader(s)? Do I have more than one?

What is the readers role(s): Decision-maker? Influencer? Implementer? Other?

What does the reader know about the subject?

How will the reader react to my main message: Receptive? Indifferent? Resistant?

Whats in it for the reader? Why should the reader read this or agree with it?

How will the reader use this document?

Should anyone else receive this?

Bottom Line
If the reader were to forget everything else, what one main message must the reader remember?

So what? What is the impact of my bottom line?

Strategy
Should my message be a document? Or would a phone call be more effective?

Timing: Am I too early? Or too late to send it at all?

Distribution list: Trimmed to the minimum?

Is someone else communicating the same information? Should I check?

Select method(s) of transmission

E-Mail

Internet

Postal Delivery

Fax

a Meeting

Courier

Internal Mail

a Presentation

Intranet (web sites or shared folders)

Videoconference

Other:
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