As a final culmination of what you’ve learned in this course you are being asked to develop an informal proposal for your workplace. This proposal will be a reflection of the many things you’ve learned over the semester. It will show audience analysis, research, organization, persuasion, presentation skills, and decision-making ability. This proposal will be type written and double-spaced just like the reflection papers. The length of your proposal will be between 6 – 8 pages (you may have additional appendix pages). However, length is not as important as content, organization and clarity!


Early in the semester you should begin to develop an idea for a work proposal. You should begin by brainstorming an idea you have thought about presenting at work but were never sure how to bring it up. This proposal should accomplish one of two things: 1) Solve a problem; or 2) Present an opportunity.

You will take 4 steps to presenting this proposal:

Create an outline for review by the instructor
Once the outline is approved you will write your proposal
Develop powerpoint slides for final presentation
Present a final proposal & powerpoint presentation for grading

It is strongly recommended you ask someone to proofread your copy before submitting a final draft. A fresh set of eyes can pick up things you may have overlooked. Remember – ideally this is something you would like to present to a supervisor for acceptance. Make sure it is worthy of your supervisor’s time.


You will also need to submit a Powerpoint presentation that highlights your proposal. This Powerpoint presentation will be approximately 6 – 8 slides in length. The slides should follow the same outline in your proposal.


If you have any questions regarding this project don’t hesitate to contact me during the course of the semester. Good luck.


Informal Proposals

To get you started on the right track I have provided the following outline for you to follow as you develop your proposal. Read each section and be sure to address all these areas in this order. It is important to follow the outline format because each section relies on the previous section for its use (i.e. you need to establish a problem before you can propose a solution).


          Introduction

Explain why the proposal is being made (however, be careful not to give the solution)
Highlight the writer’s qualifications
Develop a persuasive hook – suggest excellent results, low cost, time-savings, etc..
          Background

Discuss the significance of the proposal, its goals or purpose (again, be careful not to give the solution yet)
Convince the reader a problem exists (this is the most important piece of the background)
If solicited – convince reader you understand the issues
          Proposal/Plan

Present your plan for solving the problem
What you propose to do and the benefits to the reader
Provide a schedule for when the plan will occur and when benefits will be achieved
          Staffing (your proposal may not include staff, if not then skip this section)

Credentials of project leaders
Credentials of support staff
Show how your staff is superior to the competition
          Budget

Itemize cost carefully – Proposals are contracts
Present a deadline for bid figures
You may choose to create a table, showing cost this way is visually easier and more receptive for most readers
          Authorization