PaperDueNow.com

Is your document correct? Higher-Order Concerns

Begin with the Higher-Order Concerns (HOCs) when updating your company documents. The HOCs are components of a document’s writing that are most responsible for its content. The first section of this chapter covers the following four key HOCs: Focus and Purpose, Audience, Organization, and Document Design, and Development.

What is the purpose of your document? Every company document must have a purpose, whether it is to inform, persuade, or direct. The focus of your document should be on its content, not on its format. For example, if you are writing a memo to inform your staff about a new company policy, the purpose of the memo is to provide information, not to sell the policy.

Who is your audience? It is important to think about who will be reading your document before you start writing. Will your audience be internal (employees) or external (customers, suppliers)? If you are writing for an external audience, you need to consider what level of knowledge they have about your company and your product or service.

What is the organization of your document? The organization of your document should be based on its purpose and audience. If you are writing a report to inform your boss about a problem, you would organize the report differently than if you were writing a memo to Persuade your boss to approve a new project.

What is the design of your document? The design of your document should be based on its purpose and audience. For example, if you are writing a memo to inform your staff about a new company policy, the design should be simple and straightforward. If you are writing a proposal to persuade your boss to approve a new project, the design should be more sophisticated.

The following section covers the four key HOCs in more detail.

Focus and Purpose

Every company document must have a purpose, whether it is to inform, persuade, or direct. The focus of your document should be on its content, not on its format. For example, if you are writing a memo to inform your staff about a new company policy, the purpose of the memo is to provide information, not to sell the policy.

• What is the document’s intended function?
• What is the document’s goal for your reader?
• Is the major idea of your essay stated at the outset?
• What do you want your reader to accomplish when they’ve finished reading it?

Audience

It is important to think about who will be reading your document before you start writing. Will your audience be internal (employees) or external (customers, suppliers)? If you are writing for an external audience, you need to consider what level of knowledge they have about your company and your product or service.

• Have you done your homework on your target audience and the company to which they belong?
• Is your document tailored to the demands of a particular audience (user-centered)?
• Is your style and language suitable for your target audience?
• In the conclusion, will you have persuaded your reader of anything?

Organization

The organization of your document should be based on its purpose and audience. If you are writing a report to inform your boss about a problem, you would organize the report differently than if you were writing a memo to persuade your boss to approve a new project.

Document Design

The design of your document should be based on its purpose and audience. For example, if you are writing a memo to inform your staff about a new company policy, the design should be simple and straightforward. If you are writing a proposal to persuade your boss to approve a new project, the design should be more sophisticated.

Development

Once you have determined the purpose, audience, organization, and design of your document, you can begin to develop the content. The following section provides tips on how to write effective content for your company documents.

Use clear and concise language

When writing company documents, it is important to use clear and concise language. This means using short, simple sentences and common words. Avoid jargon and technical terms unless you are sure your audience will understand them.

Be specific

When writing company documents, it is important to be specific. This means providing enough detail so that your reader knows what you are talking about, but not so much that they are bored or confused. For example, if you are writing a memo to inform your staff about a new company policy, you should include enough information so that they understand the policy, but not so much that they feel like they have been bombarded with information.

Use active voice

When writing company documents, it is important to use an active voice. This means using verbs that express action (such as “write,” “create,” or “develop”) rather than passive voice (such as “is written,” “was created,” or “has been developed”). Active voice is more concise and easier to read than passive voice.

Proofread your document

Before you send your document to your boss or client, it is important to proofread it for spelling and grammatical errors. Use a spell-checker if possible, and ask someone else to read it over to make sure it makes sense.