Marketing - Progress of the Work - Essay Example

The float time shall be analyzed and tracked while bottlenecks shall be identified and explained. Furthermore, any activities that result in wastage of time shall be eliminated. Also, activities that can be done simultaneously shall be grouped for quick results. The desired result of the message is to be able to graphically demonstrate that I have been successful in complying with the schedule. Furthermore, the message shall invite feedback from the audience regarding which activities need to be grouped or which need to be eliminated.

This shall ensure that there is communication between my boss and myself. Not only will it allow my boss to keep track of the direction I’m taking in my work but also allow him to provide feedback for the work I’ve completed. This shall further allow him/her to make recommendations for any improvements which I can incorporate in my project to complete it on time. Any bottlenecks shall be identified to which improvements shall be made over time. Although the message is complete in itself, it shall serve as the building block for future discussions.

The intended audience
The intended audience is my boss. Assuming that I work in a construction firm as a construction manager, I am presenting the results of my team before the general manager. The results shall show the number of housing units completed under the private sector, residential housing project. The audience is expected to be knowledgeable about the concepts used in the message; hence, technical terms may be used.

Typography
Since the graph shall convey its intended meaning through the illustrative element rather than words, display type shall not be used to draw the audience’s attention. Using display type may distract the audience from the overall meaning of the message in this case which is to compare the scheduled and actual outcomes. Few words shall be used in the copy area and shall primarily comprise the graph’s legend. More lowercase letters shall be used for the text rather than all capitalized letters. This shall not only save space but also aptly convey the brief message that needs to be communicated. A minimalistic text approach shall be adopted with key information conveyed through the graphics. The spread shall be 18 x 9. The text size shall be 10 and the Serif font shall be used. The graph shall have a clear white background against which two lines (one in blue and one in red) shall be set in contrast. The message shall incorporate color-coded activities in the form of the sequence in which they are to be completed.
Use of visuals to support the message

Progress of the work being done shall be measured via the graph. The message shall largely be visual with minimal text. Lines shall be used to indicate scheduled versus actual progress. A two-dimensional line graph shall be used to plot the variables. The line graph shall show the scheduled versus actual units of work. Statistical data (in the form of the number of units) shall be used to show the overall trend. The use of a line graph shall ensure an uncluttered and clear representation of the data without any confusion. Communication shall, therefore, be clear, concise and complete with the use of this graph.

The other visual that displays the PERT activities shall also be two-dimensional with more reliance on colors and shapes to convey different activities. However, words and numerical shall play an important role since these shall give meaning to the otherwise meaningless shapes.

Platform
Visuals are of immense help when one has to demonstrate the progress of the work. Telling somebody figures is not a very effective approach because figures are hard to remember and analyze. For this purpose, Primavera Project Planner can be very helpful. On Primavera, one can demonstrate the scheduled progress vs. the achieved progress graphically. Not only the general manager will be able to compare the achieved progress with the scheduled progress with the help of differently colored lines over the graph, but the general manager would also be able to compare the individual activities in a similar way to have a deep understanding of where the project stands. Visual images are easier to remember and give the audience a general perspective of the matter which is more effective in cognitive thinking as compared to figurative analysis.

This platform shall enable high-performance and high-end control over resources and project timelines. Although it shall primarily be used for tracking the scheduled versus actual completed units, it will contain integrated information about the project. The intuitive and rich user interface shall enable the audience to grasp the message easily.
Unlike the other mediums such as Microsoft Word and Microsoft Powerpoint are not suitable for this message because they are not interactive and integrated the way Primavera is. Primavera is a platform that allows more sophisticated data to be processed and offers better templates than does the other software. In other words, the message shall be communicated effectively via this platform. Read More