Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Microsoft Word
- Chapter 1 Introduction
- Chapter 2 Establishing the strategy
- Chapter 3 Choosing the content
- Chapter 4 Structuring the proposal
- Chapter 5 Tightening up the text
- Chapter 6 Obeying the grammar rules
- Chapter 7 Obeying the punctuation rules
- Chapter 8 Finishing off
- Chapter 9 Reviewing the result
- Chapter 10 Summary
- Appendix A The Document Standard
- Appendix B Select bibliography and resources
- Appendix C Case studies
- Index
Chapter 3 - Choosing the content
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 August 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Microsoft Word
- Chapter 1 Introduction
- Chapter 2 Establishing the strategy
- Chapter 3 Choosing the content
- Chapter 4 Structuring the proposal
- Chapter 5 Tightening up the text
- Chapter 6 Obeying the grammar rules
- Chapter 7 Obeying the punctuation rules
- Chapter 8 Finishing off
- Chapter 9 Reviewing the result
- Chapter 10 Summary
- Appendix A The Document Standard
- Appendix B Select bibliography and resources
- Appendix C Case studies
- Index
Summary
CONTENT AND STRUCTURE
Content is not the same as structure. We need to decide what we are going to say – the arguments that will win our case. And then we need to decide how that content should be presented, so the arguments appear in an ordered and persuasive sequence. As Figure 3.1 shows, the content is made up of a number of different pieces that are interlocked into the structure most suitable for a specific proposal.
It must be that way around: content then structure. We cannot start with a predefined plan and then try to force everything we want to say into that. This may seem self-evident, but many organisations mandate a fixed structure for all proposals. The authors feel they must adhere to this template, so some sections end up as “not applicable”, or get filled with irrelevant blather. This is not writing that wins.
I am not going to suggest that there is some perfect combination of content and structure that will guarantee success for every proposal you submit. Instead, I will list some typical sections that a proposal may contain and describe the factors that need to be considered when creating each of these. You must decide which sections are applicable to your proposal and determine the specific content of each one. Having selected the most appropriate sections, you can then examine the plans in the next chapter in order to pick the structure that will best present the chosen content.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- IT Project ProposalsWriting to Win, pp. 17 - 27Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2005