Have you ever been frustrated while searching for something important in your disorderly junk drawer, in cluttered piles of paper on your desk, or in unlabeled boxes in your basement? The same kind of chaos that makes you feel confused in your physical surroundings confuses your audience if they encounter disorganized documents.

This chapter focuses on organizing your workplace emails, documents, and presentations. As you practice chunking and sequencing information, using a SMART organization technique, and outlining formal documents and presentations, you will become a master organizer who creates order, not chaos.

Follow a few organizing tips to organize your emails, documents, and presentations.

Chunk and Sequence Information

Organized information is remembered information.

Quickly try to memorize the following sequence of letters:

GPSNATOFOMOFBIIMHOIRSASAP

Now try these:

GP SNAT OFO MOFB IIM HOIR SASA P

Chances are you’d struggle with either. The groupings lack any clear pattern and display no discernible logic, and the spacing and sequence of letters seem random.

Now look at the same letters organized differently:

GPS NATO FOMO FBI IMHO IRS ASAP

All are common acronyms, instantly recognizable and much easier to remember. Once you see them as such, you can more easily remember each.

This example shows how chunking messages affects your audience’s comprehension and retention. If you send a stream-of-consciousness voicemail, text message, or email, your audience’s brain works harder to understand your message. Why? Because of the way the brain processes information.

Chunk and sequence information so your audience can more quickly understand it and remember it long after you present it.

chunk

In a widely cited psychology paper, cognitive psychologist George A. Miller argued that the average human can hold about seven, plus or minus two, pieces of information in short-term memory. Occasionally referred to as Miller’s law, this principle demonstrates that the ability of your audience to process information depends on how you organize and group it into meaningful chunks or pieces. If you want your audience to remember the information, chunk it.

The table below provides some examples of how you could chunk information in reports, graphics, and slide presentations:

The table below provides some tips for making chunked information more memorable.

sequence

Chunking’s companion, sequencing, arranges information in a logical, coherent order to guide the reader’s understanding.

Apply sequencing to informative, persuasive, and recommendation reports or presentations:

Depending on your purpose, choose from among the common sequencing techniques shown in the table below:

apply the smart technique

After you chunk and sequence your content, refine your content by making it SMART, an organizing acronym that stands for

STORY | MAIN IDEA | AGENDA | REASONS | TASK

In previous writing classes, you likely learned a three-part approach to writing an essay: introduction, body, and conclusion. This text modifies that approach, chunking the introduction into three manageable parts:

1. Story/attention-getter/hook
2. Main point—the thesis in academic documents
3. Agenda—the contract or itinerary/what the document or presentation covers

Using chunks, the information now appears in manageable parts that guide the audience on a logical journey. Notice that the main idea, traditionally the thesis in an academic document, occurs right after the opening story, not at the end.

The body and conclusion are renamed REASONS and TASK to create a mnemonic: SMART.

Notice that the SMART technique puts the main idea first, not at the end. You are not writing a murder mystery or a comedy sketch. You do not need to save the “whodunnit” or “punchline” for the end. Business documents and presentations put the main idea first to keep the audience’s attention.

Memorize this SMART structure. Although it does not apply to informal emails or presentations that are part of everyday business communication, it applies to formal business documents and presentations. However, if you apply this structure to your formal reports and presentations, your audience will be more likely to remember and act on the information you present.

Story

First answer why your audience should spend precious time and attention on your message. Hook your audience by starting with a compelling story or anecdote, an intriguing metaphor or analogy, a startling visual, a thought-provoking statistic, or a surprising observation—but keep the hook brief and make it relevant. No gimmicks, please. If you tell the story at the start and never mention it again, it’s gratuitous.

To create symmetry and closure, some communicators bookend their message by returning to their opening story at the end of the message. Better still—incorporate multiple touchpoints to your story, especially at transition points, throughout the message.

Why use a story and not just a vanilla fact-and-figure opener? Facts and figures can be easily forgotten, but stories are memorable. Neuroscience tells us that—because storytelling triggers the release of chemicals like dopamine and oxytocin, associated with pleasure and trust—when we listen to stories, our brains become more engaged than when we hear dry facts or data. Stories also evoke emotions, which play a significant role in decision-making.

Presentation and Story Tip

In their book Made to Stick, authors Dan and Chip Heath cite a chapter in psychologist Gary Klein’s book Sources of Power called “The Power of Stories.” Klein argues—and the Heath brothers agree—that stories carry wisdom. Indeed, even the Harvard Business School uses business cases that start with compelling, memorable stories “because wisdom cannot be told.”

The Heath brothers note that stories are unexpected, part of their formula for creating memorable ideas. If you start your report or presentation with the same old formula, the audience might quickly check out, especially in a business presentation.

Presentation guru Nancy Duarte agrees: the oldest and most satisfying structure is the story. Duarte synthesized the “presentation form” after carefully observing the structure of high-impact speeches. Note how well Duarte’s presentation form matches our SMART outline.

The figure below illustrates Duarte's presentation form.

The Duarte chart shows that the beginning (main idea and agenda) consists of a neutral "is" state followed by a call to action and a rise of interest leading to "what could be." This opener is followed by the middle (reasons), which consists of steep falls and inclines in interest. This middle section is followed by the ending (task), which consists of a call to action and a steep rise in interest that leads to "new bliss."

So the next time you are tempted to start a presentation or a complex report, consider the power of storytelling, which engages, persuades, and connects with audiences on a human level.

However, stories, proverbs, and metaphors do not apply to all business documents and presentations. Extremely short documents and presentations do not require this formal structure. Furthermore, emails—unless they are reports—do not require the application of the SMART technique.

Main idea

Immediately after the story opener, boldly and deliberately state the message’s main idea up front. Don’t bury the lead, a phrase journalists use when the article’s main idea appears anywhere other than the first paragraph. In professional settings, the audience wants the core message immediately, especially when it’s a recommendation.

Do not use the traditional scientific sequence that lays out the argument and then gives the conclusion at the end. You are not writing a murder mystery or delivering a comedy sketch, so go ahead and tell the audience "who-dunnit" or the punchline.

Agenda

In business meetings or conferences, an agenda is a list or outline of topics to be covered. It serves as a guide for participants and provides a structured plan for the event. Agendas are commonly used to ensure that meetings stay on track, remain organized, and achieve their intended objectives. Similarly, a document or presentation’s agenda previews the reasons to be detailed in your message—usually in one sentence or vertical list—preparing the audience for the information you plan to present.

The agenda articulates the main points you will expand on in the body of the report or presentation, alerting the audience to the exact points you will cover—no more and no less. You may have heard an old public-speaking tip that directs you to “tell ‘em what you’re gonna tell ‘em” at the beginning of a speech. This concept refers to the agenda of a document or presentation.

Reasons

Your reasons, which expand on the agenda, are the meat of your document or presentation. They expand on the agenda items in the exact order they were previewed in the agenda section. The reasons support the agenda items with solid evidence and logic:  data, facts, statistics, graphics, explanations, arguments, testimonials, and any other information that supports the main idea.

Your reasons may include agenda subpoints that help chunk and sequence the information, making it easier for your audience to recall. Sequence the information so it makes logical sense to your audience and use language your audience easily understands. Weave your story/hook at transition points so the audience does not feel manipulated. The opening story should continue to resonate, making the overall message more memorable.

Task

In between each of the SMART items, use logical transition devices to guide the reader on a logical journey. Use visually rich words or parts of your opening story to guide the reader through the document. For examples of transitions you can use, click here.

The task section of a document or presentation closes the storyline or theme; restates the main points; reiterates the persuasive call to action, the objective recommendation, or an informative main theme; and closes on an audience-focused forward-looking note.

Different purposes—information, persuasion, and recommendation—differently apply the SMART technique. The table below shows how to apply the SMART technique to information—including instruction and bad news—persuasion, and recommendation.

SMART Summary Table (click here)

SMART	Information	Persuasion	Recommendation
	Use an image, metaphor, proverb, or story to hook the audience	Use an image, metaphor, proverb, or story to hook the audience	Uses an image, metaphor, proverb, or story to hook the audience. Introduces the business problem.
	Inform—main takeaway or theme	The persuasive “do” statement. What should the audience feel compelled to do after reading your document or watching your presentation?	The recommended course of action or top-ranked solution to a business problem.
	Instruct—intended outcome
	Bad News—intended news
	Inform—main points	List of targeted benefit statements.	List of reasons that justify the solution.
	Instruct—main steps
	Bad news—list of reasons
	Expansion of the agenda that explains the main points, steps, or reasons.	Expansion of the benefits to the audience. Persuasion considers and rebuts audience objections.	Expansion of the justification. Includes options considered, weighted criteria, supporting data, risk mitigation, and implementation timeline.
	Inform—summarizes the agenda and main takeaway. May offer further exploration resources.	Restates the benefits and closes on a strong call to action. The audience should feel compelled to act.	Restates the solution and closes with a strong call to action. The audience feels convinced that the presented solution is the best possible of all options considered.
	Instruct—confirms the reader has successfully reached the intended outcome/destination. Offers additional assistance or resources.
	Bad News—restates the reasons/does not restate the news. May offer a forward-looking note if applicable. Closes on a respectful note.

Now that you understand a little more about the benefits of chunking and sequencing with the SMART technique, you’ll more easily understand why an outline—the structured framework that arranges business reports and presentations—is an integral step in the communication process. Like a successful journey, successful messages begin with a communication itinerary—an outline.

create smart outlines

A SMART outline serves as a visual representation of carefully chunked, sequenced, SMART content.

Top-down, bottom-up, and mind mapping are three common outlining approaches. None are inherently better than the others, so use the technique that works best for you—but use one of them. The outline provides a clear roadmap to structure your ideas and ensures cohesive flow in your business documents, emails, and presentations. Without an outline, your message is like a trip without an itinerary: an adventure for you, maybe, but maddeningly difficult for your audience to keep up.

Top-Down Approach

Use this approach when you intend to organize a defined purpose and already know the main topics.

Here is an example of a sales pitch top-down approach:

Suppose you work for a high-end retailer and your manager brings you a list of best practices for in-person sales pitches. She asks you to turn the list into a slide deck to show at the next meeting. Because you’re a polished communicator, you chunk and sequence your information and apply the SMART technique according to your purpose.

A top-down outline is perfect for this scenario. You have a clear idea of what your manager wants to say. Chunk, sequence, and apply the SMART technique.

Mind Mapping

Use this approach when you prefer to visually explore the topic's associated ideas. If your ideas are not fully developed or if you’re more of a visual thinker, you may prefer a mind map to a linear outline. For practical tips on how to create a mind map, click on this Canva tutorial.

The Process of Mind Mapping

1. Write the main idea in the center of a blank page. This strategy gives you room to branch out in all directions.
2. Identify subcategories of the main idea and assign each a KEYWORD. Single words are more powerful and memorable. Choosing a single word forces you to think clearly and concisely.
3. Draw BRANCHES from your central image with labels for your subcategories. Draw subbranches for the conceptual components of each category. Make use of color.
4. Expand your subcategories with more branches and keywords, enabling you to further refine your ideas.
5. Draw CURVED branches. Straight lines feel mechanical; curved lines feel organic. You want your mind map to feel like a living, breathing organism.
6. Add IMAGES to the branches and sub-branches if you’re more visual. Pictures capture ideas more succinctly and creatively than do words.

Bottom-up Approach

This approach works great when you need to create order from chaos–think brainstorming. Use it when you have disorganized information and no clear topic.

A wonderful antidote for writer’s block, bottom-up outlining can be used when writing alone or in a group. Follow three steps: brainstorm, cluster, and sequence. Notice how this method works well with the chunking and sequencing techniques you learned at the beginning of this chapter.

1. Brainstorm. Think about your idea and write whatever comes to mind. Don't hold back. Capture all the facts, keywords, concepts, stories, analogies, diagrams, and related ideas you can think of.

2. Cluster Next, look for patterns in your brainstormed list. Group related items together. Make clusters (chunks) of meaning and stay open to new ideas. Notice any unusual associations between facts. Remember the chunking example above.

3. Sequence Finally, look at your clusters and sequence them in the way that will best achieve your purpose. Your sequence must be logical, and different organizing logic demands different sequences. (Review the sequencing examples above.)

AI outlines

Recent AI developments have rendered outlining a breeze but responsibly use the AI. Do not take for granted that the AI is 100% correct. "Garbage in, garbage out" is a good rule of thumb.

This tool is a starting point. Here are some drawbacks of using it:

• The AI operates on patterns, but it may not fully understand your specific context.
• The AI can be inconsistent. Since it generates responses based on a probabilistic model, different prompts or variations in the conversation may lead to different suggestions.
• The AI uses limited fact-checking. ChatGPT does not possess real-time fact-checking ability. YOU are the fact checker, and your reputation—not ChatGPT’s—is on the line.

Do not over-rely on AI output. Relying solely on AI like ChatGPT can limit your critical thinking and creative input. Do not use the tool as an exhaustive brainstorming source. Use it as a source of inspiration, but apply your expertise and knowledge to shape and refine the output. Doing so will improve your critical thinking skills.

In Conclusion

Don’t leave your audience wandering hopelessly around in your message. Chunk and sequence your information. Apply the SMART technique to compose your messages. Outline your information, instruction, bad news, persuasion, and recommendations. Take your audience on a logical, organized journey.

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