Your solutions are complicated, filled with complex nuances too large for any one proposal (with page restrictions) to contain. Not only that, you also have to include all of that ho-hum compliance language. I’m here to tell you just one thing: I understand. I get it. If your solution weren’t complex, there would be no reason to issue a request for proposal in the first place, right? You could just walk right up to the respective committee, pitch your idea in a few sentences, then walk out the office door like Rocky climbing the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s steps, ’80s soundtrack and all. If only it were all so simple…
Oh, but it is…
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Okay, I lied, I’m actually here to tell you two things: Your complex proposal isn’t complex at all. Your ideas, solutions and compliance can actually be communicated quite simply. (Shhhh, that’s our little secret.)
“How can that be?” you’re probably asking, nose deep in an impenetrable fortress of jargon and dense scribbles, and about 12 proposal cats (aka, SMEs) that need to be herded. Here’s how: Your proposal is composed of several elements, from executive summary to info-graphics to technical content. Each one of these elements is based on the fundamental idea of communication (and of course, compliance). You want to get your point across without confounding your central solution or risking noncompliance. And at the core of communication is comprehension, which is achieved in one way – simplicity.
Be a Craftsman.
Think of your proposal as a ten-story building. The processes that go into designing a building are complex, and taking the entire building in all at once is intimidating. But the actual concept of a building is fairly simple. Break it down to its essential elements and you’ll find just a pile of bricks. There’s nothing complex about a brick. We know what a brick is and what it does, and it is simple in that sense. The same is true with wooden boards, etc. With these simple constructs we can begin to layer them over one another to create something else entirely, but a creation rooted in the fundamental concept of simplicity. Once you grasp the concept of simplicity, you can then stack the bricks of comprehension, understanding, and communication on top one another to form the seeming complexity of your proposal.
Your proposal shouldn’t have hallways without doors, or stairs that lead nowhere. Everything in it should have a purpose, from the cover design down to each individual word. Using complicated technical jargon in place of straightforward language adds an unnecessary roadblock to your goal of winning. Your audience is more likely to get lost in a presentation filled with superfluous content. And when you’re audience is no longer following you; they’re tuning you out. Do yourself a favor: make it simple.
Reference:
BBC: Toward a Science of Simplicity? – http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20120629-toward-a-science-of-simplicity?…
Source: Bridged Design