paul mundy writing a project report collecting, organizing and writing information on a project
TRANSCRIPT
Paul Mundy www.mamud.com
Writing a project report
Collecting, organizing and writing information on a project
Steps in writing a document
1. Decide what info you will need
2. Collect the information
3. Focus the topic – what is it about?
4. Organize the information
5. Write a draft
6. Rewrite the draft
Decide what types of info you need
Mechanical
Name of project
Locations
Times, duration
Budget
Names of organizations and people, contact details
Exploratory
Problem
Purpose
Main activities
Achievements
Creative
Photos, graphics
Human-interest stories
Quotations
Implications
Recommendations
Collecting information Familiarize yourself with the project
Read relevant documents – especially the approved project document
Talk to people involved Develop questions to ask
Gather information Visit the field Interview the project manager and staff Interview partners Interview beneficiaries Collect documents, photos
Collecting information
Ask questions Observe Soak up information like a sponge Make notes Think of interesting angles while you are
gathering information
Find out
What has the project done? What has it achieved? Has it done what it said it would? What went right, and why? How can the
project build on this? What went wrong and why? How can this be
corrected? What interesting things happened? What’s
new?
Focus the topic
Think of three highlights to focus on Separate your main points from the detail
What am I trying to say? Discuss the subject with someone
Tell him/her a story Explain what happened Give only the information the listener needs to
understand
The elevator pitch
Imagine you are in a lift with Bill Gates What would you tell
him about your project?
What is the most important thing to say?
You have 2 minutes! Used with investors
Nine Cs of an effective elevator pitch1. Concise As few words as possible, but no
fewer2. Clear Your grandparents can understand it3. Compelling Explains the problem4. Credible Explains how you solved the
problem5. Conceptual Not unnecessary detail6. Concrete Specific and tangible7. Customized Addresses audience’s interests8. Consistent Same basic message9. Conversational Not complete, but aims to interest
audience in more information
4 Organize the information
Organize the information
What is the story about? Main idea to which all other ideas relate
What we want to end up with
Evidence
Focus
Lead
A carefully constructed story with evidence supporting our main idea
Does your org have a set format for reports?
Create a document using those headings
Sort your information into those categories
Write the information under the right heading
Yes No No
Create one that works for you
Find one that works for you
Adapt it if needed
Use it!
Collect info you need for this format
Organize the information
Make a short list of 7-8 categories your information falls into Eg, Situation, Problem, Production, Intervention,
Results, Solution Label your notes with these categories Sort the notes according to category Sort the categories into a logical order
Write!
Four ways to start Write a summary sentence Write some possible leads Write an ending Write without notes
Don’t Start off with a 100-page report and try to edit it
down to 3 pages
Write
Focus What is the story about?
Organization What information is included? How is it presented?
Rewrite
When you have finished writing Have you said it well enough? Reread what you have written
Is it in the right order? Is it interesting? Does it grab the reader’s
attention? Does it say anything new or useful?
When you have finished writing Ask someone else to read it
Ask them to be critical of the structure, organization, logical flow
Ask them if the piece is interesting, easy to read Ask them what they learned after reading
More information
BBC SXSW (click on the video) http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7947729.stm
Youtube www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tq0tan49rmc
O’Leary: Elevator Pitch Essentials