Case 2: Blueprint problems.       

Audience Analysis:

Your first task is to infer a list of specific facts from the case narrative.  A rehashed narration 
of the facts, however, will not adequately solve the many problems. 

You must enumerate the problems using a decimal outline.  Cluster facts around descriptive 
titles, such as: "drawing problems," "delivery problems," "quality problems"; or "immediate 
problems," "review of procedures." 

Technically-oriented writers often assume that if they do a thorough job in specifying the facts or 
describing each discrete step of a process, then they have solved the case.  They have not.  
What they neglected to do was adequate audience analysis.
  
Your document fails if it does not fix the problem, regardless of how technically 
accomplished it is.  Like it or not, problems are usually "human" problems that require writers 
to try to imagine the point of view of the likely reader.  In this case, you are provided with 
very specific information about the reader, John Alspaugh.  To solve the case, you must motivate 
him to pay attention to detail and meet professional standards.  

The case data implies both constraints and psychological or rhetorical strategies.

1. The constraints:  

	Building a twin tower, 30-story conference center is likely to be the most important    and costly venture for several years at both Treadwell and AJV.  The prestige and, consequently, the business success of both firms is prominently at risk with this project.  This is not business as usual; just another day at the office.
	The importance of the project means that it will be closely watched by the top  management of both firms.  It also means that great attention must be paid to every  detail and that a "business as usual" attitude will not do -- not for you, not for Randy  McNamara, and not for Treadwell, Inc.
	You are the "Assistant Project Manager."    Notice that Randy McNamara is giving you orders.  You are not discussing  the problems with him as a peer.  You are near the bottom of the Treadwell  professional hierarchy.  You should infer from this that you do not possess  the authority to make major policy decisions concerning a subcontractor  for a multi-million dollar project. Specifically you cannot cavalierly threaten to fire Alspaugh, sue him, or even  take a commanding tone with him.  Not if you wish to keep your job.
	Alspaugh has a history of being unresponsive. One more lecture or nasty letter from you is not likely to be effective. You might think about why Alspaugh is unresponsive.   One reason has to do with your very different job titles and accomplishments. Alspaugh is a partner at a prestigious architectural firm.   He must view you as a distant subordinate; someone that he is used to giving orders to.  How likely is it that he will deferentially take orders  from a lowly Assistant Project Manager?     Imagine comparisons; for example, that you are a Graduate Student Assistant in the English Dept. who must get something done with the help of the Chairperson of the History Dept.  Would you write a letter using a commanding tone and making threats?  I hope not.
	AJV is "an architectural firm regularly employed by Treadwell Developers." More history.  Why would your CEO want to sever the relationship with AJV?  Very likely, AJV has won prizes, and thus, new business for Treadwell. If you complain bitterly about Alspaugh, consider how it looks from George  Treadwell's view.  As an "Assistant Project Manger" you do not have  a record of accomplishment.  Alspaugh does.  So who has authority?  Who does it  make sense to get rid of, if there is a conflict?  You or Alspaugh?   See how audience analysis works?  Readers make inferences. You should follow the likely inferences of your document before you send it,  or be prepared for nasty surprises.
	"You have to admit that Alspaugh's got real talent." Despite his annoying lack of attention to details, you should infer that Alspaugh is obviously worth the trouble he causes you.  Again, as an "Assistant Project Manager" you do not possess a record of major accomplishments.  The Conference Center is a twin tower, 30-story, multi-million dollar building that is likely to win architectural prizes (given Alspaugh's talent) and be a source of civic or even regional pride.  Don't you want a share of that glory?  This is not  just another job.  This is your chance for professional success and advancement. If you make this inference, perhaps you will not be so quick to scold Alspaugh for not obeying your commands!

2. Rhetorical strategies:

	The case narrative is breezy, but unified.  What is the point of the opening scene  concerning the newspaper story?  The point is to imply that publicity and prestige are important motivators.  You should recognize the importance of good publicity for AJV and Treadwell, and for Alspaugh and you.  In fact you  are likely to rush to the office the morning that the paper appears, featuring the  photo-story on the Plum River Conference Center, in order to record the details  for your resume!  After doing that, you might reflect that the story is an  even bigger event for Alspaugh.  That recognition should cause you to  reflect on how the unprofessional errors in the architectural drawings may cause  delays and embarrassment.  Finally, you recognize a useful rhetorical strategy for  communicating with Alspaugh: pride and embarrassment.   Adroit business communication often "twists arms."  You want to suggest an  embarrassing and damaging possibility and then tell the reader how to avoid it by doing what you propose.  You know Alspaugh is proud of his work and likes to  comport himself as an accomplished artist.  So you try to create a fear in him that his  work will fail.  Then you tell him how to avoid that embarrassment and failure.
	"Alspaugh is a talented fellow, but often plays the part of the artist who can't be bothered  with mundane details."  So you gush a little bit and sympathize a lot.  You tell Alspaugh  what a privilege it is to work with such a gifted artist; how you are learning so much, how  you are planning to nominate him for the Person of the Year Award, etc.  You offer to  "manage" the mundane details that you can control -- which are few.  You cannot  draw match lines, etc.  Offering to send a courier to his office to get the drawings may be  interpreted as condescending or insulting.  If you think something like that is effective,  broach the subject more informally, e.g., conversationally or on the phone.  The important  thing is to create a tone in your letter that stands a better chance of motivating Alspaugh  than does scolding or commanding, which have already proved ineffective.
	Thinking through all the audience analysis possibilities, what if Alspaugh remains indifferent  and unresponsive?  What if you cannot solve the problems, because you do not control  enough of the steps in the process?  Do you get fired?  Your strategy is to avoid taking the   blame, to prove that you did your job, so that attention is directed on Alspaugh, who is not doing his job.   This means that an important function of the letter is documentation.  The implied audiences  for this function are Randy McNamara and your other superiors at Treadwell, and perhaps  third party readers, such as auditors, arbitrators, lawyers, civil court judges, and newspaper  reporters.  None of them are interested in your complaints or whining.  They are looking for  "who to blame."  You need to convince them that it is not you.  You do that by employing a  professional and collegial tone, objectively specifying requirements, and recording what you  did in performance of your job.

Audience Analysis is so important that you should consider completing a form like the following to better determine exactly who your reader is and how you can best persuade him.

Back to navigation