1、UNIT4 How To Write A Technical Report 4-1 Sample Feasibility Study4-2 Words&Expressions4-3 Reading Material4-4 Exercises K ey Poi nts Understanding the fundamental concepts of technical report Mastering how to write a technical report Knowing how to write a project management technical report K ey w
2、 ords:technical report,project management report 4-1 Sample Feasibility Study A feasibility study is an analysis of a problem to determine if it can be solved effectively given the budgetary,operational,technical and schedule constraints in place.The results of the feasibility study determine which,
3、if any,of a number of feasible solutions will be developed in the design phase.The aim of the feasibility study is to identify the best solution under the circumstances by identifying the effects of this solution on the organization.Within the system development cycle the feasibility study is under
4、taken after the problem has been defined and analyzed,but before undertaking detailed design of a solution.Defining the problem has quantified the needs,the objectives and the boundaries of the problem.This,to some extent,identifies the constraints.The system analyst usually undertakes the feasibili
5、ty study.Sometimes,CTO or project manager may play the role of system analyst.Based on analysis of the problem,presented in the Requirement Definition Report or User Requirement Document,the report writer uses his or her understanding of software design and development to describe and evaluate a fea
6、sible solution to the problem.Commonly a number of feasible solutions are described and evaluated.These are presented to management as alternatives or options in a Feasibility Report to allow management to select the best solution.These are three types of feasibility report:1The first type studies a
7、 situation(for example,a problem or opportunity)and a plan for doing something about it and then determines whether that plan is“feasible”which means determining whether it is technologically possible and practical(in terms of current technology,economics,social needs,and so on).This type of feasibi
8、lity report answers the questions“Should we implement Plan X?”by stating“yes”,”no”,but more often“maybe”.Not only does it give a recommendation,it also provides the data and the reasoning behind that recommendation.2The second type starts from a stated need,a selection of choices,or both and then re
9、commends one,some,or none.For example,a company might be looking into grammer-checking software and want a recommendation on which product is the best.As the report writer on this project,you could study the market for this type of application and recommend one particular product,a couple of product
10、s(differing perhaps in their strengths and their weaknesses),or none(maybe none of them is any good).This type answers the question“Which option should we choose?”(or in some cases“Which are the best options?”)by recommending Product B,or maybe both Product B and C,or none of the products.3The third
11、 type provides an option or judgement rather than a yes-no-maybe answer or a recommendation.It provides a studied opinion on the value or worth of something.This type of feasibility report compares a thing to a set of requirements or criteria and determines how well it meets those requirements.(And
12、of course there may be a recommendationcontinue the project,abandon it,change it,or other possibilities.)4-2 Words&Expressions feasibility n.可行性；可能性；现实性 heading n.标题，题名；信头 adage n.谚语，格言 streamline vt.把做成流线型；使现代化；组织；使简单化 jot vt.匆忙记下；略记；摘要记载下来4-3 Reading Material How To Write A Good Technical ReportA
13、good technical report is concise and well organized.All kinds of businesses require technical reports.Many companies evaluate the effectiveness of everything from new business models to computer code using technical reports.Reports can also document the feasibility of a project or recommend one prod
14、uct over another.The difference between an average report and a good report is often simply organization:present the information in a clear and engaging format and your information will be easier to find and use.Organize your report1.Create an outline,complete with headings.Your report should have a
15、n introduction,body of evidence,and conclusion.By identifying your headings early on,you can ensure that your information flows logically.2.Write your introduction.You should let your reader know right away what to expect from the report.Highlight the research methods and resources you used and stat
16、e your findings.Describe the reports organization,so the reader can skip straight to a specific section if needed.3.Develop your evidence.The body of your report will give the reader all of the information he needs to decide,evaluate,or assess a business problem.Keep your language clear and concise.
17、The next section discusses techniques for communicating the content of your report.4.Use the conclusion to remind your reader what the problem was and how your evidence addresses it.Your report may identify a solution or propose next steps.Cite any resources you used.Present your evidence1.Use first
18、 hand information wherever possible.If you are evaluating two products,use information from the manufacturers themselves or reviews from users within your own organization.If your report is a progress report,talk directly to the people performing the work.This will minimize misinformation and give y
19、our report credibility.2.Use charts and visuals when possible and appropriate.They say a picture is worth a thousand words and nowhere is this adage more useful than in a technical report.Complex information and relationships between items or events are often more easily understood when they are pre
20、sented visually.3.Use appendices for related information.This will streamline your report.Each appendix should contain a single piece of information,for example,a string of computer code,a single products specifications or individual test results.4.Edit out extraneous text.Your report should not con
21、tain anecdotes or personal observations unless they relate directly to the report contents.How to Write a Project Management Technical ReportWriting a good and thorough project management technical report may be easy for someone who knows what they are doing,but for someone who is new to it,it may s
22、eem somewhat daunting.There are a few tricks to generating a good and precise report.1.Use a pen and paper to jot down some notes regarding the project you are managing.Write down(or tape record,if that is easier for you)Key Points about the project.Use your notes to put together an outline of the p
23、roject.Create a heading for each section and use bulleted or numbered lists for points.Summarize and keep paragraphs to a minimum length.Identify topics that are relevant to your report.2.Include a statement of purpose for the report.This should be a description of the goals and objectives associate
24、d with the project and its specific management tasks.(This will be different from the introduction,which should briefly summarize the format of the report.)List goals and how they were achieved,and any tasks yet to be completed.Name specific individuals who served key roles in the project.Briefly de
25、scribe how achievement of the goals should help the team or organization to accomplish its mission.3.Use relevant statistics and charts throughout the report,making sure that their placement makes sense.Fill in any other information that backs up the statistics or explains what they are for.Use stat
26、istics and charts to help explain or describe Key Points,such as management steps throughout the project and how those steps helped to improve productivity.4.Create a summary of Key Points.After youve paragraphed and reported all important information throughout the report,go back to the beginning a
27、nd add in an introduction or an opening statement that explains what the report is about.The report may need to be completed first before this description or statement is added.Summarize all Key Points and information in the beginning,like a table of contents in a book,so that individuals reading th
28、e report will know where to look for specific information.5.Finalize and refine the report.Type all information into a word processing document,saving as you go.Add numbers to the pages,so that its easier to find information someone is particularly looking for.Put all headings in bold.Read through t
29、he report,making sure everything has proper punctuation and that it makes sense to the reader(this may be accomplished by reading it out loud to hear if the information flows).Have someone with good proofreading skills review it and then make any final revisions.4-4 Exercises I.Fill in the blanks wi
30、th the information given in the text.1A feasibility study is an analysis of a problem to determine if it can be solved effectively given the _ in place.2The aim of the feasibility study is to _ under the circumstances by identifying the effects of this solution on the organization.3The difference be
31、tween an average report and a good report is often _:present the information in a clear and engaging format and your information will be easier to find and use.II.Translate the following terms or phrases from English into Chinese and vice versa.可行性报告，用户需求文档，CTO，progress report，word processing documentIII.Think of an idea you would like to see implemented on your campus or on you job.Write a short feasibility report,persuading your audiece that your idea is worthwhile.
