Take a look at the two sample project proposals.

• What are the strengths of each proposal?
• Between the two drafts, which do you think is more effective and why?
• What would your suggest to improve the drafts?

Date:       October 27, 1998
To:          ENGL 105 Professor
From:      Marni, John, and Dan
Re:          Proposal for Final Project: Style Guide for PTI

Project Summary

The company that Marni works for, PTI, has dozens of formats for its memos, letters, and other writing.  Many of the company's departments have their documents created by secretaries, engineers, writers, field representatives, etc.  Currently, there is no unifying look to the documents produced.  Recently, under a new president, it was agreed that business cards, research proposals, presentations, web sites, etc., should all have a similar look to improve the image and recognition of the company.  Marni  (our group leader) has the role of Publications Coordinator.  PTI chose her to create a style guide for PTI.  Our group works with Marni in the Publications department.

The final style guide will be addressed to ________, the new president of PTI.  Realistically,  the vice presidents will probably be the people reading and acting on the project.  If approved, the style guide will then go to all department heads and, eventually, to all employees as the standard style guide for PTI.

Project Description

The Publications team (our group) will obtain sample documentation from each PTI department to discover the format, scope, and purpose of the documents.  Finally, after consultation with executives at PTI, the best formats will be chosen and optimized for the final guide.

The guide will be used by all employees to create a unified set of documents.

The intended audience for this document is anyone working for PTI.  No specialized knowledge or background is necessary for the readers.

Project Management

The guide will rely on several different sources.  As previously mentioned, we will contact each department to get information on their current procedures.  In addition, we will use at least one (yet to be determined) style guide as an example.  Obviously, we will also be using a writing guide such as the Chicago Manual of Style for information on proper style.

To create a style guide for PTI, it will be necessary to understand the needs and desires of the executives (president and vice presidents) to know how they want PTI to be presented.  It is also necessary to have an understanding of the needs of researchers, engineers, writers, and all the people who will be bound by this style guide.

The style guide will provide information and templates for all types of documentation but specifically for use in creating: graphical design, page layout, presentations format, WWW pages, online documentation.  The style guide will include samples.  In addition it may be published as an intranet document.

Project Roles

• Liaison:  Marni.  Will gather samples and talk to executives.  Primary responsibility for final version of Project Proposal.
• Researcher:  John.  Will provide an example style guide.  Primary responsibility for final version of Progress Report.
• Editor: Dan.  Will attend to final details for the final project.  Primary  responsibility for final version Works Cited, Cover Page, and any Appendixes.

Project Schedule

10/29:  Draft Project Proposal
11/3:  Meet to complete project proposal draft on 10/29
11/5:  Meet with professor; Marni will have gathered samples to give to group; John will have found a sample style guide to show group.
11/9:  Marni will finish final, polished version of proposal
11/12:  Meet as group to compare analyses of documents, plan project, and set new deadlines.
11/17:  Work on draft of progress report as a group
11/19:   John will submit the final, polished progress rpt. via e-mail.
11/20-11/30:  Work on our individual sections over break
12/1:  Meet as a group at computer to assemble the whole report
12/3:  Turn in complete draft of final project
12/8:  Meet with professor
12/10:  Dan will prepare the final, polished project and submit it (along with all drafts, this initial proposal, progress report)

Background

Daneo's restaurant primarily serves local college students and hospital staff.  Currently,  Daneo's Restaurant is experiencing excessive delays in seating due to a lack of space.

There is currently an apartment above Daneo's.  The owner, Mr. D____, is looking into converting the upstairs apartment into additional restaurant space.  This addition would increase capacity.
 

Statement of Problem

Mr. D____ has been unable to research the problem because of lack of time.  He needs a cash flow analysis and an operational analysis to determine what facilities would be housed in the new addition. Mr. D____ has hired our company, AAGW Associates, to provide him with the information necessary to make a  decision in this matter.

Research Plan

The information presented within this report will be gathered from contacts from within the restaurant and bar.  Information will also be gathered from those outside the restaurant: construction company, bank, insurance.  Information from these sources will give us our basic cost factors for the financial analysis.  This will support our recommendation of whether or not the project is feasible.

Project Schedule

Project Proposal: 10/29
Operational Analysis Complete:  11/12
Progress Report: 11/19
Financial Analysis Complete:  11/20
Draft of final project: 12/3
Final project: 12/10

Project Cost to Daneo's Restaurant: 33 hours @ $100 per hour = $3,300
 
Preliminary planning and interviews with owner             3 hours
Investigation of sources and contacts                              10 hours
Preparation of individual parts of report                          12 hours
Preparation of Final Report/Synopsis                               8 hours