全套内部培训教程4

CreatingEffectiveProposalsProposalWriting--GuidelinesandHintsCONSULTINGCONSULTINGProposalWritingRe-usingMaterialReusableMaterial--textorgraphicsfrompreviousproposalsthataddresssimilarrequirementsDon’tthrowboilerplatetogetherandcallitasectionClients/evaluatorsknowwhenthey’rereadinggenerictext,andresentit!ThoroughlyreviewandmodifyanytextorgraphicsyoureuseTailorthematerialtotheclientandtheRFPCommonlyreusedmaterial-qualifications,clientprofiles,resumes,statistics,capabilities,graphicsAlwaysdangeroustoreusetechnicalsolutions/approachesCONSULTINGProposalWritingProposalToneBeginsentenceswiththeclient’sconcernShowunderstandingandempathyofthatconcern-provethatyouknowtheclient(names,sites,systems)RespondtothatconcernBedirect,confidentandassertive,butnotarrogantGuardagainsttoomanyparagraphsbeginning:“KPMGunderstands...”or“KPMGrecognizes...”SubstantiateclaimswithstatisticsandexamplesSuperlativesaregenerallybad(can’tbesubstantiated)Mixtheuseof“we”and“KPMG”throughoutCONSULTINGProposalWritingProposalToneExamplesProperExample:“Overthepastseveralyears,theUniversityofMassachusetts,Amhersthasinitiatedabroadreviewofitsadministrativesystems,resultingintheselectionofthePeopleSoftStudentAdministrationSystem.“BasedonyourRFP,werecognizethatUMassdesiresspecificassistancerelatedtothebusinessprocessredesignofyourstudentservices,andfit-gapanalysesfortheseimprovedprocesses.”ImproperExample:“KPMGisthegloballeaderineverymeaningfulandquantifiableway.”(!)CONSULTINGProposalWritingProposalTenseUse“active”voice-theactorcomesbeforetheverbAvoid“passive”voice-noactor,vague,unresponsiveCorrect:“KPMGwilldevelopthesystem.”Incorrect:“Thesystemwillbedeveloped.”Followthe“truetense”rule,whetherpast,present,orfutureCorrect:“Thecurrentsysteminterfaceswith...”“Thefuturesystemwillincreaseaccess…”Incorrect:“Thefuturesysteminterfaceswith…”CONSULTINGProposalWritingBulletListsBreakuplengthynarrativeChangeasentencethatlistsmanyitemstoabulletlistAvoidswitchingtense,voice,ortonewithinthelistUseparallelwordingtostarteachbullet(thesamekindofword-verb,noun,adjective,etc.)CapitalizethefirstwordofeachbulletinthelistIntroducebulletlistwithacolon,thenseparateeachbulletwitheitherasemi-colonornothingExampleofaconsistentbulletlist:“TheNASAsystemwillprovidethefollowingbenefits:IncreasedresponsetimeImprovedcustomerserviceImmediatedataaccess”CONSULTINGProposalWritingGraphicsAnothergreatwaytobreakupcontinuoustextMucheasiertoreadandreviewDepictprocesses,flows,activitiesbetterthantextCanbetables,matrices,orfull-scalefoldoutsServemanypurposessuchas:Staffing:names,skills,yearsofexperience,org.chartsQualifications:statistics,dates,projects,numbersWorkplan:tasks,hours,staffassignedTechnical:diagrams,architectures,systemdesignsTraining:coursestructure,methodologyRFPrequirementscompliancechecklistCONSULTINGProposalWritingGrammarandPunctuationInsertacommaaftereachelementinaseriesofmorethantwoelements,andinnumbersof1,000ormoreUsetwospaces:–betweennumbersandtitleofsectionheadings–afterperiodsandcolonsUseonespaceaftercommasandsemicolonsReferenceothersectionsoftheproposalwhenappropriate,assuch:–Insection4.3,“PotentialProblems,”wediscussourriskmanagementpolicies.CONSULTINGProposalWritingFollowWordConventionsReferto“conventionwordlist”establishedbyProposalCoordinatorHelpsdifferentwriters/sectionssoundconsistentEasesfinaleditingsomewhat(search/replacelist)Whenindoubt,defertoRFP/clientusagePrimeexamples:–projectvs.engagement–client/servervs.client-server–UNIXvs.Unix–databasevs.database–workplanvs.workplanRunspellcheckEVERYtimeyouexitafile!CONSULTINGProposalWritingAdditionalLanguageGuidelinesAvoidusingsuperlatives(“all,every,never”)KPMGLegalalsofrownsonitUse“exceedstherequirements”sparinglyifwereallydo,weshouldexplainhowandwhyAvoidtheambiguous“etc.”attheendofaseriesUsewordsfornumberslessthan10Usenumberswhenreferringtotime,money,distance,orpercentageAvoid“i.e.”and“e.g.”-use“forexample”Avoid“via”-use“through”or“using”Knowdifferencebetween“its”and“it’s”“KPMGstaff”issingular,“personnel”areplural;“datum”issingular,“data”arepluralCONSULTINGProposalWriting“Support,ProvideandEnsure”MostoverusedwordsinproposalsUsedsomuchtheycanbegintolosetheirmeaningSomesuggestedalternatives:–advocate,affirm,aid,approve,assist,confirm,control,convey,demonstrate,develop,direct,effect,enable,encourage,enhance,establish,execute,facilitate,favor,improve,leadto,maintain,manage,monitor,obtain,offer,perform,promote,resultin,strengthen,verifyCONSULTINGProposalWritingVersionsandRevisionsUseMSWord“Comments”featurefornotestotherevieweroryourself(outstandingissues,holes)HavereviewersuseMSWord“Revisions”featureonsoft-copyeditssoyoucanseethechangesmadetoyourtextAlwaysmaintainacopy(andbackupcopy)ofthemostrecentversionofyourdocumentdifferentversionsfloatingaroundcausenightmaresuseversionnumberingconventionsWhenrevisingtext,havetheRFP/OFShandyCONSULTINGProposalWritingSummaryRe-readtheRFP/OFSrequirementsandevaluationcriteriaThinkbeforeyoustartwritingUseoutlinesandgraphicstoorganizethoughtsCustomizethetexttotheclient-usespecif