Technically Correct

How many people read technical documentation and can't make heads or tails of it? Or how many times has someone with a background in something like ERP implementations left people wondering if they spoke the same English language? This is why people like me are so important. We are the translators of the technical universe, making the unreadable abstract into something we can all live with and understand.

I recently attended an Infotech Expo and career fair, wherein I discussed all of my experiences in the field of technical writing. I said that I had no experience with writing government proposals, and that is technically correct, however, I had very little time to flesh out the experiences I have had with proposals. I intend to remedy that here.

I am an expert at synthesizing technical data and persuasive writing into a seamless, clearly understandable and highly effective presentation or proposal. Everyone who has ever done defense or logistics work with the government wants someone with exposure to proposals. And although I have never written one myself, I have worked on them. My work for Data Resource Architects doing MES research was essentially the rough draft of a task order based on a successful RFP, outlining work above and beyond the requirements of the proposal. What this task order outlined was establishing a link between enterprise activities such as financial and executive management and the shop floor's discreet manufacturing operations. I also did grant proposal work for Senator Mike DeWine as an intern in 2001. But I would have to say that the best proposal work I ever did was on doctoral dissertations, especially for ERP implementations within the US DoD. One might not think that a Doctoral dissertation is anything like a proposal, however, I hope to demonstrate otherwise.

The introduction to both a dissertation and a proposal demonstrates the author's understanding of the problem space and describes the proposal layout. This section should provide a line by line road map, closely following if not directly restating government requirements and detailing how selection criteria will be met. The lit review is a close parallel of a qualifications section, establishing credibility.

The methodology sections of a dissertation and a proposal are also similar, demonstrating precedent and workability of methods to ensure superior results to the client or supply critical data to a gap in the knowledge base. My studies and work experience in grounded research provide the groundwork of my understanding of this kind of data. The findings sections are also similar, reporting results in such a manner that the author avoids referencing other proposals, but rather highlighting the successes of what has been done. Past success speaks much louder than past attempts.

The analysis/discussion section of a proposal may discuss program management or corporate structure. However, where a dissertation lacks the persuasive and cogency elements critical to a proposal, my work with policy debate and creating original marketing materials provide me with the relevant experience necessary to translate raw proposal data into a highly persuasive, cogent arguments in order to secure proposal funding. The analysis section of a proposal is most effective when it crystallizes arguments, clearly demonstrating value and providing proof of success above all other bidders to the client.