Assignment #3: Workplace Communication (5%)

COMM2710 - Business Writing Strategies - Durham College - Spring/Summer 2020

DEADLINE: due Monday July 20 by midnight - in appropriate folder on DC connect

COMPUTER SOFTWARE TRAINING

You are an office worker at a large paper products company that has just installed an upgraded
computer system. Many employees are having difficulty with the new software. The
manufacturer’s representatives will be on-site all next week to provide training. Because you are
studying computer technology, you have been asked to serve as liaison. You must inform your
co-workers about the training, which will be delivered in Conference Room 3 from Monday
through Thursday in eight half-day sessions. (9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.),
organized alphabetically by workers’ last names, as follows: A-B, C-E, F-I, J-M, N-P, Q-SL,
SM-T, and U-Z. Workers unable to attend must sign up for one of the two makeup sessions that
will be held on Friday. You must ensure that everyone understands all these requirements.

INSTRUCTIONS: Complete the ​TWO​ activities.

1. Plan​ your message using PAIBOC. Fill in the chart below. The first row is done for you.

What does it
Letter Explain it for the case study.
stand for?

The purpose of my message to staff is to train existing

P Purpose employees with the new software on the upgraded computer
system.

A Audience The people receiving the message will be the employees of the
company.

I Information Information within the memo will include when the training day
begins and how it will be conducted as well as what the training
is for.

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 With an updated computer system will come quicker ways to
B Benefits handle data as well as increased flexibility and security with
said company data.

This is a new software, it will take time to get used to and doing
O Objections work will be arguably harder than usual since you’ll have to
retain new information on how the software works instead of
only focusing on handling data ‘as per usual’.

The context of this memo will remain neutral, there is nothing

C Context ‘bad’ that is going to be discussed. Just training and
familiarization with the new software.

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2. Write a memo to be posted on all bulletin boards using your plan, making sure that everyone
understands all the requirements.

MEMORANDUM

DATE: July 20, 2020

TO: All Staff

FROM: Vincent Silalahi, Computer Technician

SUBJECT Software Training and Familiarization

:

Due to the difficulties with operating the new software on our company computers, I wanted to
inform you that training for operating and familiarizing with said software will be held.

The manufacturer’s representative will be on-site all next week to provide training which will
be delivered in ​Conference Room 3 from Monday through Thursday​ in eight half-day
sessions during the times of:
● 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and
● 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Organized ​alphabetically​ by workers’ ​last names​ as follows:
● A-B
● C-E
● F-I
● J-M
● N-P
● Q-SL
● SM-T
● and U-Z
Workers unable to attend must sign up for one of the two makeup sessions that will be held on
Friday.

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 Rubric for Assignment #3

Criteria Excellent Acceptable Needs Improvement (0-1)

(4-5) (3)

- Clear & descriptive subject line - Most elements included - Few elements included
- Proper organization for an correctly correctly
Organization & informational message;
Professional - Writing is clear & concise - Acceptable writing style. - Poor writing style.
Writing Style (5) - Good word choice & sentence
structure; positive tone
- Acceptable memo format.

- Clearly states when and where the
training sessions are scheduled
- Provides all information that the
Content (5) reader needs to know
- Conclusion lets the reader know if
further action is required
- Future correspondence is limited.
- Most of necessary
information is present
- Body is somewhat
specific.
- Significant info is missing
- Reader will have to ask for
more details, so future
correspondence is
increased, not limited.

- Memo is error-free and “workplace - 1 – 3 spelling or - More than 3 spelling errors

ready” grammar errors
Workplace
- Memo is not “workplace
Ready
- Presentation is clean, professional. - Memo is somewhat ready”.
(5)
“workplace-ready”.

TOTAL (15)

The documents must have a clean and professional appearance. No cover page is required.
Plagiarism Policy:​ If material too closely resembles another student’s work (as determined by
the professor), ​both ​assignments will receive a “0” and an Academic Alert will be placed on the
both​ students’ files.

*Late assignments will not be accepted unless you contact me 24 HOURS BEFORE the
assignment is due and provide documentation within 1 week. Please refer to your course
outline for further details

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