ECE 362 Principles of Design Executive Summary Session

ECE 362 Principles of Design Executive Summary Session 18 Page 1 1

Product Development Product Idea Product Specifications Technical Model Stage 2 – Intellectual Property, Mkt Analysis & Business Models Intellectual Property Market Analysis Business Model Stage 3 – Scheduling & Planning, Test Plan, & Project Management Planning & Scheduling Test Plan Project Management Budget & Resources Social Impact Personnel Qualifications Stage 1 – Product Idea, Product Specifications, & Technical Model Stage 4 – Budget, Social Impact, Persnel, Quality, & Completion Development Grant = $$$ Session 18 Page 2 Quality 2

Executive Summary "Few writers think of the messages they are trying to communicate in a report. “ Bruce Ross-Larson, Riveting Reports, p. 30 “BRIEF AND EXCITING!!!!!!” Prof. Thomas Mason An umbrella statement of your case and summary of the entire proposal Session 18 Page 3 3

Executive Summary • An executive summary is a brief overview of a report designed to give readers a quick preview of its contents. • Its purpose is to consolidate the principal points of a document in one place. • After reading the summary, your audience should understand the main points you are making and your evidence for those points without having to read every part of your report in full. Session 18 Page 4 4

Executive Summary • An executive summary should explain why you wrote the report, emphasize your conclusions or recommendation, and include only the essential or most significant information to support those conclusions. • Make the summary concise, but be sure to show why you've arrived at your conclusions. Session 18 Page 5 5

Executive Summary • Write the executive summary after you have completed the report and decided on your recommendations. • Look at first and last sentences of paragraphs to begin to outline your summary. • Don't introduce any new information that is not in your report. Session 18 Page 6 6

Executive Summary • Go through the report to find key words and use those words to organize a draft of your summary; • look for words that enumerate (first, next, finally); • words that express causation (therefore, consequently); • words that signal essentials (basically, central, leading, principal, major) and contrast (however, similarly, more than, less likely). Session 18 Page 7 7

Executive Summary Executive summaries should communicate independently of the report. The executive summary should tell • what you are proposing (technical details), • why it is a good idea (market analysis), • when & how you will do it (schedule), • why you are a qualified team (personnel), • how much it will cost (budget), and • how you will handle risks. Session 18 Page 8 8

Assignments Personal Assignment: CPR Social Impact Statement completion by 12 noon EST, Wednesday, February 4. TEAM ASSIGNMENT: 2 nd draft of Proposal due on Friday, February 6. Session 18 Page 9 9