Assignment:
Scenario: Deadline change
Your manager, Colleen, calls with a new directive for your current client project. You have been working on the project for a year, and you and your client have a good business relationship.
You are two months away from the project deadline, and the client wants the deadline bumped up by three weeks. Colleen says it is due to an unforeseen market change, and it is critical. The project will be worthless if it is not received by the new deadline. You know that meeting this new deadline will be particularly challenging due to some personal vacations and training plans that your project team members had planned during this timeframe.
Colleen is going to a meeting with the client in two days. She is expecting to know how you will handle this situation before then. You can either respond to her directly after you talk with your team members, or you can copy her on the email that you send to your team members to address this issue.
Your task: Write a response to Colleen's directive. Your email will either be addressed to Colleen or directly to your team members with Colleen copied on the email.
Write:
1. FIRST: Use the writing process for routine messages: Plan-Draft-Review. Write the
Plan using Audience
• Idea Development
• Message Structuring in an outline format . Make sure each of your outline points are complete sentences. When you turn in your completed message, your writing process outline should follow your response to Colleen's inquiry.
2. Use an email format for the final composition of your response to Colleen or to your team members.
3. You should Make your response more readable by using bold, italic, and lists where appropriate. Note: You do not need to use all of these formatting options. Simply use the ones that make your document easier to read. Remember, she is going to a meeting and wants to use it for reference. Use Times/New Roman, 12 point type.
4. Your email should be about 350 - 500 words. Be concise in your response and at the same time be sufficient.
Write the plan using Cardon's Audience
• Idea Development
• Message Structuring scheme in an outline format. This example should help you get started. Remember, this is only an outline of your thoughts, but I do want you to write in complete sentences.
I. Audience: Colleen, your Manager, or your Team Members with Colleen copied on the message
A. Make your observations about Colleen and her directive.
B. Make observations about your team.
C. Who will you address your response to - Colleen or your team members?
II. Idea Development
A. Clearly state the business problem you are addressing.
B. Begin to outline her directive and how you will respond using the information you have.
C. How will you deliver this message to Colleen or your team?
D. If you are addressing your team, what will be your expectations of them?
E. How will you address your team's scheduled vacations and training plans?
F. If you ask your team to change their plans or work out a solution, what would that be and how will you prevent them from becoming upset?
G. If you are addressing Colleen, how will you respond and what solutions will you offer?
III. Message Structure
A. Write your main idea or the first sentence or two of your email.
B. Key point 1 (Colleen's Directive)
1. Support or explanation for your "key" point.
2. Continue adding details as needed.
C. Develop as many "Key points" as you need to respond to Colleen's directive.