Memorandum the Memorandum is Among the Most

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MemorandumMemorandum

MemorandumMemorandumThe memorandum is among the mostThe memorandum is among the most

versatile of organizational documents. Fromversatile of organizational documents. Frombrief research reports and progress reportsbrief research reports and progress reportsto thumbnail proposals, the memo form isto thumbnail proposals, the memo form is

widely used to communicate technical andwidely used to communicate technical andadministrative informationadministrative information


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..

The memorandum is among the most

versatile of organizational documents.From brief research reports and progressreports to thumbnail proposals, the memoform is widely used to communicatetechnical and administrative information


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MemorandumMemorandum

Memoranda are written for numerous internalpurposesfor example,

to request information, to make announcements, to outline policies, and to transmit meeting minutes


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Thus, in most organizations, memos play acrucial role in establishing a record of

decisions, requests, responsibilities, results, and

concerns


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Memo HeadingMemo Heading

The distinctive element of thememorandum is its heading, which is usedto frame the message in a very accessibleand transparent manner.

Example on next slide


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The Memorandum BodyThe Memorandum Body

Generally, organize the topics of thememorandum in order of importance, withthe key statements first and the detailsfurther on.

The memorandum should normally

begin with a brief summary statement, inone or two sentences, identifying the keytopic and the scope of the memorandum


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Meeting DocumentsMeeting Documents

Use meeting documents as tools toencourage productive and efficientmeetings. The two principal meetingdocuments are the agenda , which tellsparticipants what topics will be discussed

at the meeting, and minutes , which recordwhat actually occurred.


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AgendaAgenda

An agenda is a simple list of topics to bediscussed (in order of listing), along with thenames of individuals who have agreed to leaddiscussion of those topics.

An agenda helps focus a meeting on a core of topics and allows you to control the pace andflow of a meeting and identify important items tobe acted upon.

Meetings without published agendas generallyseem unfocused and unproductive.


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Prepare and circulate an agenda of itemsto be discussed for each meeting.Circulation of an agenda before a meetingwill allow your audience to consider their responses to items listed and will helpstimulate discussion.


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AgendaAgenda

Agendas may be circulated by e-mail or hardcopy.

The advantage of hard-copy agendas is thatthey may be brought to a meeting to facilitate thetaking of notes during discussion. Experiencedmeeting leaders recognize that both hard-copies

and electronic copies of agenda are usuallymisplaced, so they bring enough copies for everyone present at the meeting.


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ExampleExample

1. Development Team Agenda1.Report by Mr. Hamid on

investigation of possible security

software 2.Report by MissSara on development of databaseprototypes 3.Discussionof possible hardware platforms

2. 4.Review of deadlines for project3. 5.Agenda for next meeting


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Keep accurate minutes of meetings, bothformal and informal.

Minutes are an essential part of organization

life. They maintain an institutional memory of all

actions taken or proposed and the key pointsof discussion.

They also inform appropriate individuals whowere not present at the meeting of the keyaction and discussion items


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MinutesMinutes

Minutes can be formal or informal. Formal minutes are often required by

federal, state, or local law, by-laws,charters, or regulations.

They are usually distributed to the

members of the group before the nextmeeting, and then approved (sometimesafter being amended).


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MinutesMinutes

Some minutes are legally parts of the publicrecord and available to anyone. Often, however,

organizational minutes are private andconfidential documents, which should bedistributed only to appropriate individuals. If theminutes are confidential, each page should bestamped with a message such as"CONFIDENTIAL--DO NOT DISTRIBUTE


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The following information, adapted fromRobert's Rules of Order, is usually included informal minutes:

The name of the group that is meeting andwhat kind of meeting it is (for example, ageneral meeting, an emergency meeting,

or a meeting devoted to a single issue)

Continued


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MinutesMinutes

Precisely where and when the meeting isbeing held

Names of the group members inattendance and members absent; namesof all other individuals present, except for public meetings with an audience


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The name of the person who called themeeting to order and at what time

A report of whether or not the previous

meeting's minutes were read and, if they wereread, whether or not they were approved (or approved with modifications)


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MinutesMinutes

Summaries of any reports presented to thegroup and any action taken on them(acceptance, approval, endorsement, referral)

A summary of the discussion of each item

on the agenda and any other importantissues discussed at the meeting


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A record of all formal motions, including thename of the individual making the motion

A record of the vote on all motions,including the number of votes for andagainst, and the number of abstentions


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MinutesMinutes

The time that the meeting was formallyconcluded

Informal minutes also include the date of themeeting and the names of all membersattending or absent, but they focus more on

summarizing key points of discussion andlisting all action items to be performed byindividuals or the group.


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ProposalsProposals

Proposals are carefully prepared and just ascarefully reviewed by granting agencies.

Proposals do not succeed on the strength of aname or as a result of flashy rhetoric.

Rather, successful proposals demonstrate thatyou understand the scope of the problem (itsbackground, theory, and application) and,

furthermore, that you have developed a validand well-focused approach for reachingproposed objectives.


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All proposals develop a plan of action inresponse to a specific need or problem.Some proposals are external, written inresponse to a request for proposals or aninvitation to bid that has been published byan external organization


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ProposalsProposals

Other proposals are internal, written inresponse to a need within your ownorganization. In either case, your proposals must show that you understandthe nature of the problem and that youhave a specific and well-developed planfor arriving at a solution.


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ProposalsProposals

Most proposals share a general structurefor identifying the motivating problem, theobjectives, and the proposed course of action.


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General StructureGeneral Structure

Learn the basic structure of a proposal.

Proposals share a general documentarchitecture, which is usually modified tosuit specific circumstances. The overallstructure of a proposal can be brokendown into three parts


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Proposal StructureProposal Structure

Front matter Body Introduction Technical approach Management requirements

Work plan End matter


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Front Matter Front Matter

--The front matter of a proposal includesthe following components:

Letter of transmittal Title page Summary Table of contents List of figures and tables


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In the introduction to a proposal, do thefollowing:

Identify the motivating need or problem. Develop the immediate context in which

this problem has been highlighted. Inexternal proposals be sure you are

responding to the published need andmotivation as identified by the outsideagency.


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Focus your proposal by stating the keytechnical issues, as you perceive them,underlying the motivating problem.

State explicitly, and with unbiasedlanguage, your objectives


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Identify and explain fully the technicalapproach you are taking to reach your objectives.


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your technical approach in a brief explicationof necessary theoretical background:

applicable theory,

analytical models, previous work, and hypothesis.


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Present your method and design for reaching your stated objectives. You willmost likely make reference to figures inthis section. State how pertinent data willbe acquired, and just as important,describe your data analysis methods.


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BodyBody

Explain clearly how you will manage thedevelopment of your proposal project.

Proposal reviewers pay strict attention to thissection because here you show that you havethe required know-how to bring a project to

completion. In this section, you will present the following

information:


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BodyBody

A timetable (or Gantt chart) Required facilities and resources Materials and equipment Personnel (include rsums in appendix


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Include a work plan , sometimes called aproject plan, as a separate section in alllengthy proposals. Preliminary projectplans are also sometimes appropriate infeasibility and recommendation reports. Inaddition, most progress reports refer to all

or part of previously existing project plans


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Mater End Matter Bibliography Rsums

Appendices


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Kinds of Proposals Proposals may be written or oral, for

government agencies or the privatesector.


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RevisionRevision

Revision Memorandum

Meeting Documents Agenda

Minutes Proposals Proposal Structure

Memorandum the Memorandum is Among the Most

Documents

Transcript of Memorandum the Memorandum is Among the Most