Chapter 5: Proposals and Project Management

What are proposals?

Many types of proposals exist. You may have already written a proposal for a research project, conference presentation, or a paper you were asked to write for a class. The main purpose of a proposal is to make a recommendation or argue for a need and persuade the reader to accept it. You write a proposal for a need with the hopes of receiving those resources to meet that need. In exchange for the money or other resources you are asking the reader to give you to solve a problem or recognize an opportunity, you will give the reader something they want, create something that will be helpful to them, or do something they wish to have done. Proposals also exist to protect as they function like a contract. If you write a proposal, and it’s accepted, you are then contracted to do the work the proposal describes. When you write a proposal, you are representing yourself, your idea, and your company. You are asking your readers to invest something (time, money, other resources), because you cannot provide it yourself. The readers will review the proposal with caution because they may have limited supplies and if your idea does not seem well thought out or effective, they will not consider it. If your business proposal is competing against others, the readers will need to consider each one in order to pick the best.

Project Management

When working with a team, it is important to manage a project effectively. Some individuals, even those who may have Technical Communication degrees, choose to also pursue credentials in Project Management certification. Many types of project management methodologies exist, but the most commonly used method in technical settings is Agile. Agile project management is an iterative, flexible approach that emphasizes collaboration, adaptability, and continuous improvement. Agile breaks down the project into specific cycles that are more manageable than the larger project, which are called sprints. Companies often will use online or internal digital platforms to management projects in an Agile environment, such as Jira, Asana, Wrike, Notion, Figma, or other platforms. It may be useful to learn some online tools through their freemium software or demos to learn how these platforms operate and are structured. Doing this will allow you to get some familiarity in using the online platforms. Other platforms may be used in classes you take. Figma, for example, likely will be something you will use in ENGL 3130: Rhetorical Web Design.