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Improving Clarity and Impact in Workplace Communication

Improving Clarity and Impact in Workplace Communication - student project

Hello sir, this project demonstrates how I applied the lessons from Alan Sharpe’s The Business Writing Course to improve a workplace document. I selected an internal email I had written that was long, unfocused, and difficult to read. Using the course principles, I rewrote the email (document) to be clear, concise, structured, and actionable.

Let me share the original doc with you sir:

Subject: Update on Project Square Timeline and Tasks

Hi Team,

I just wanted to give you an update regarding Project square. As you know, we’ve been working on this project for the past few weeks, and I’ve noticed that some tasks are taking longer than we initially expected. There have been a few delays because some team members were waiting for approvals, and also some tasks turned out to be more complicated than we anticipated. I think we should try to catch up by working on the high-priority items first. Also, it might help if everyone can send me their updates by the end of each day so I can track progress. Finally, I’d like to have a meeting next week to discuss next steps and make sure we’re all aligned.

Thanks,
Manas

I have rewritten the above email and applied course lessons:

Subject: Project Square: Next Steps and Daily Updates

Hi Team,

Project Square is running behind schedule due to delays in approvals and unexpected task complexity. To get back on track:

  1. Focus on high-priority tasks first.

  2. Send daily progress updates by 5 PM so I can monitor progress.

  3. Attend a team meeting on 7 Oct 2023 to align on next steps.

Following these steps will help us stay on schedule and meet our goals. Thank you for your cooperation.

Best,
Manas

 

Lastly, my key learnings during the project and how I applied Alan's sir course lessons:

  1. Start with the reader – Focused the email on what the team needs to know.

  2. Structure the message – Used bullets to highlight actions and make it scannable.

  3. Use simple sentences & words – Eliminated long, meandering sentences.

  4. Be specific & concrete – Gave exact instructions and deadlines.

  5. Use active voice & strong verbs – Send updates” instead of “it might help if updates are sent.

  6. Omit needless words – Removed filler phrases like “I just wanted to…” and “I think we should try."

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    Thanks Alan sir