Purpose of Briefs

Information Brief

High priority facts and information requiring immediate action.

Complex information on complicated plans, systems, statistics, or visuals.

Controversial information requiring explanation.

Advocacy/Decision Brief

Briefer must be prepared to present:

Assumptions

Facts

Alternative solutions

Reasons/rationale for recommended solutions(s)

Coordination involved

Visual information

Staff Brief

Should be easy to see

Should be easy to understand

Should look professional

Should not be distracting

Choose visual aids that have relevance to the audience

Should be appropriate

Elements of a Formal Brief

Introduction

Stage setting remarks

Purpose statement

Overview

Elements of a Formal Brief

Body

Organization

Support Data

Elements of a Formal Brief

Transitions

Internal transitions: improve the flow of a sentence within a single idea; (First, Secondly, Next, etc...)

External Transitions: link separate ideas together within the body which guide the reader from one main idea to another; (Restate main point, followed by the next point)

Elements of a Formal Brief

Conclusion

Summary: Recapture the main intent

Closure: use a quote statement, nice and short.

Conceptual Framework for a Formal Brief.

Introduction

greeting

introduce topic

purpose of the brief

provide credentials

Conceptual Framework for a Formal Brief.

Overview

Main Point (MP) 1

MP 2

MP 3

Transition statement into the body

Conceptual Framework for a Formal Brief.

Body

MP 1

Information 1

Information 2

MP 2

Information 1

Information 2

Transition/Interim summary from MP1 and 2 to lead to MP3

Information 1

Information 2

Conceptual Framework for a Formal Brief.

Conclusion / Summary

General statement about MP1

General statement about MP2

General statement about MP3

Closing Statement

(Remotivation statement)