HOW TO CREATE AN EFFECTIVE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (G031)

WHY SHOULD YOU ATTEND?

Every boss wants one. Every report has to have one. If you have to write one - where do you start? What are steps three or four, once you've managed to patch together steps one and two on your own? How can you ensure that your Executive Summary (ES) will have the impact it is supposed to have?

If you write reports and must craft an Executive Summary for each one, this workshop is for you. If your job is to help a report's author(s) produce an Executive Summary, you know how vital it is to apply method to what might otherwise seem to be sheer madness. This workshop is focused on helping public sector communicators understand the key elements of an effective Executive Summary and how to produce one using common-sense steps that apply to a variety of report types.

Both seasoned and newer writers will benefit from the analysis, support, and practice that are integrated into this workshop's design. All workshop participants should be prepared for a highly interactive day of knowledge acquisition and skills building.

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

The purpose of an Executive Summary
The differing roles and needs of Executive Summary readers and writers
The link between a Table of Contents and an Executive Summary
Four steps to creating an effective Executive Summary
Hallmarks of an effective Executive Summary

WHAT WILL YOU TAKE AWAY?

Handouts to support the workshop exercises
Four steps and a checklist to guide you in writing an Executive Summary
Confidence in your ability to write an effective Executive Summary

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COMPETENCY

Thinking Things Through: Innovating through analysis and ideas
http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/tal/kcl/ekl-eng.asp

Agenda
8:45 - 9:15	Introductions and Workshop Overview
9:15 - 9:30	Definition and Purpose Let's get started by defining what an ES is-and isn't. Participants will hear a working definition of the purpose of an ES and discuss this based on their own experience and viewpoints.
9:30 - 10:15	The Roles and Needs of Readers and Writers We will seek answers to these questions: As a writer, what do you need and what are the key challenges ES writers face (whether they are authors of the report or not)? Who are your readers, especially the main audience for an ES? What are the characteristics of that audience? What does that main audience need from an ES?
10:15 - 10:30	Break
10:30 - 12:00	From a Report's Table of Contents to its ES Identify the kinds of reports you work on Discuss the standard parts of most reports In small groups, compare and analyze the T of C and ES from a sample report Seek answers to the question: What does the ES add to the T of C?
12:00 - 13:00	Lunch
13:00 - 13:45	Hallmarks of an Effective ES Identify the salient features of an effective ES by creating a checklist for an effective ES. Working in small groups, summarize the strengths and weaknesses of a sample ES based on the hallmarks identified in the checklist.
13:45 - 14:45	Writing an ES Become familiar with three key steps to writing an ES. In pairs or small groups, review a short sample report with a T of C and create a detailed outline for an effective ES.
14:45 - 15:00	Break
15:00 - 16:00	Writing an ES (Continued) Using the outline for an effective ES and the sample report, create a one-page ES. Discuss what was helpful and challenging as you debrief in pairs from this exercise.
16:00 - 16:20	Synthesizing the Day's Learning What insights, tools, and skills will you be able to use in your day-to-day work? How do you plan to put what you learned into practice?
16:20 - 16:30	Wrap-up and Workshop Evaluation Participants will complete a short evaluation