My Formal Report breaks down, and suggests solutions for, a problem that affects my daily work life. My problem is a “hot topic” in the nonprofit sector; many struggle with inefficient internal communication and information systems, compounded by tight budgets and time-stretched employees.
The interviews with management, program managers, and other nonprofit professionals were open and instructive. Blog and discussion fora posts on the subject are plentiful, although they often led to a Pandora’s box of adjacent issues that nonprofits, and for-profit organizations, struggle with; I had to remind myself to stay focused, and not get side tracked. No matter the solution, there were a few clear takeaways: the right solution must fit an organization’s culture; all employees must agree, and learn to use, a new system; and, the success of any system will only be achieved with management’s support. (Please see the Final Formal Report for an analysis of the issue and proposed solutions.)
I found the writing component to be the most challenging aspect of this project; in limiting information the reader already knows; using ‘You’ attitude; and, organizing the body into logical headings and subheadings. Another challenge is finding or designing tables and figures that add to the report, instead of just filling it. Also, since I have been out of academic life for a couple of decades, I’ve had to brush up on referencing and using citations.
The peer review process was especially helpful in guiding where I am on the right track, and where I need to improve; Christine’s feedback was instructive, as was looking at how she is organizing her report and what kinds of information, tables, and figures she included. Peer review is a valuable tool that I wish I had more of in my professional life.