By Dana P Skopal, PhD
In the workplace we often need to convince the reader with evidence, which means detailing and explaining our analysis. It could be a business case document, setting out a project that you consider is worthwhile. You need to outline the problem or issue the organisation is facing, recommend a proposed solution, and cover any potential risks (legal and/ or safety). It is like writing a persuasive argument that will help the decision-makers understand the value of the project. Recently, when reviewing an organisation’s document, we noted the written text was too descriptive and a reader could not easily find the links to the analysis.
As writers and readers, what do we understand by this term ‘analysis’? Many people may associate analysis with data, but analysis can be a process of working through complex information to explain a possible solution. An analytical approach may also be how to research possible issues and explain a range of options. Hence a writer may be explaining the options with the details they discovered, but a reader wants to know ‘why’ these options are important. Details and relevance, ie the ‘why’, can be different and possibly lead to a reader not following a writer’s descriptive analysis.
Complex descriptions can mean you will lose your reader. Focus on why your analysis is important for the organisation and the key items your reader needs to understand. This process may entail you standing back; could you summarise your message in one minute when speaking to a colleague?
Another checklist that writers use is to list the five Ws and 1 H on one page. Check that your key details and analysis have covered who is involved, what can happen, when this can happen, where is this happening, why this evidence is important, and how things link together.
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