Basnet 2
MEMO
To: Professor Laurel Phillips
From:Onisha Basnet
Subject:Rhetorical Analysis of “RoyalHaskoning DHV Project Management Document”
Date:12 September 2021
Introduction
This memo analyzes a RoyalHaskoning DHV artifact providing information on their project management initiatives. The artifact includes two case studies of sample projects that the organization has undertaken in the past, including project management for Murray and the integrated project management for Heathrow Terminal 3. The artifact provides information on the services organizations and individuals can expect from their collaboration with RoyalHaskoning DHV after hiring the company for project management services. The memo analyzes the artifact to identify its overall effectiveness in defining project management concepts and phases according to Markel’s “Measures of Excellence in Technical Documents.”
Summary
The document is the epitome of good project management brochures and documents. It communicates in such a way that the reader will have an easy time going through it whether they have prowess in project management or not. There are no evident deficiencies in the document indicating that the authors followed high standards of professionalism. The fact that images have been used throughout the document and a visual display of the phases of project management is the most commendable elements of this technical document.
Professional Appearance
The professional appearance of a document determines whether the readers will have a positive perspective on the document’s contents and the author (in this case, RoyalHaskoning DHV)(Markel 12). The document is entirely professional at first glance, with numerous visual cues that communicate the different aspects of project management. Professional documents should be less dense, which is the case with this document. It is subdivided into numerous sections. This gives the reader the ability to browse through specific sections without getting confused about the elements referenced by the company. The document also communicates professionalism, given that under every segment, there is a wealth of information that readers can utilize to understand what they expect once they contract the company for their service provision. It is also quite commendable that the document has reasonable white space within it. There is appropriate spacing after every paragraph, making the document less clogged, giving it a professional touch. Color also adds a professional touch to documents. The images included in the document have a broad array of colors satisfying this requirement. The text within the document also contains a visually appealing color making the document more professional. The fact that the article has selected a monochrome as part of the text is also entirely professional, as many colors would again be unprofessionalism.
Accessibility
Technical documents can sometimes be quite hard to understand, especially for people in different fields from the subject hence the need for accessibility in technical documents. First, the document has provided a project life cycle image that gives a simplified version of the project phases that a client should expect once they contract the company for their services. This simplified version enables people without a technical background to understand and explore the phases simply. The point is also important to note that the separate headings are a part of the accessibility. An individual going through the document will only need to scan for the relevant heading and access the required information, making exploring the document relatively easy. This communicates the high level of accessibility of the document.
Honesty
It is unethical to have false information on an information document such as the one under analysis here. Admittedly, the information provided is entirely accurate and honest, given that the company provides case studies of the projects they have previously handled. As a project management professional, I have come across these projects and understand the company’s role in their completion. It is also important to note that people and organizations that are not professionals can answer the questions on the honesty of the information provided through a simple online search. The discovery would then be that the company has provided unbiased information about the case studies and the various phases a project takes before its completion. It is also quite commendable that the document mentions their tailor doing a project according to the clientele’s needs. This gives honest communication on project timelines, which is an integral part of project communication. The reader understands that the complexity of their project is what may determine the timelines as the company takes the initiative to tailor-make every project.
Comprehensiveness and Correctness
Complete self-contained discussions are essential for technical documents and communicate the author’s professionalism (Markel 12). The document is comprehensive in that it begins with discussions on company project management beliefs, takes the reader to the project phases, gives examples of completed projects, and finally, the contact information. The discussion on the beliefs about project management gives the reader confidence that the company understands its role in the subject. The comprehensiveness exhibited in this document also provides a comprehensive view of the company such that there may be no or limited questions regarding what the company does. In case of any questions, the contact information I readily available, which is another sign of an excellent technical document. Notably, the document also exhibits a high degree of correctness. There are no grammatical and sentence structure errors. This communicates that a professional wrote the document.
Conciseness
A document that gives the precise amount of information is quite attractive to the reader and communicates professionalism. This document does not give excessive information either limited information. The information in all the paragraphs is straight to the point and does not tire the reader; neither does it leave them with numerous unanswered questions.
Conclusion
This document meets the standards of excellence of technical writing. It is easy for any reader to go through and understand the intent of the document and the communication displayed. For project management professionals, there is a lot to learn about the project phases. Similarly, non-project management professionals can also learn a lot about the same topic. This means that the document meets its informational needs while still taking care of a diverse population that may be interested in reading it. As such, I recommend that other individuals read this document and indulge its content and format while preparing technical documents.
References
Markel, Michael H. Practical Strategies for Technical Communication. 2nd ed., Bedford/St. Martins, a Macmillan Education Imprint, 2016.