FORMAT

From:

To:

Subject:

Date:

Recommended Action

The action you wish to be authorized to undertake. Describe this action in one or two simple, declarative sentences.

Issues

Causes and effects of the recommended action.  Why should the recommended action be authorized?  What is the rationale for taking this action?  What is the probable effect of taking this action? What will be accomplished?  What are the advantages and disadvantages of pursuing this action?

Options

Alternative actions (at least two) to the action you have recommended. These must be plausible alternatives that your manager might choose to authorize. Describe the option in one or two declarative sentences and list the pros and cons of pursuing the option.

Implementation

The immediate, mundane, first tasks involved in carrying out the recommended action. In this section you are asking for authorization to carry out the first several discrete tasks needed to implement the recommended action.

FORMAT

From:

To:

Subject: Concise Statement of the Issue

Date:

Background

Why did this issue develop? What are its specific dimensions. List those dimensions.

Issues

For each issue dimension, include a heading that describes the issue. For example: If the subject of the memo was US Acid Rain Prevention Policy,  the first heading might be:

1.  Acid Rain is Principally Caused by Sulfur Dioxide Emissions at Mid-West Power Plants

After each topical issue heading, include the following subheads:

Recommendation

Rationale/or Analysis

Next Steps

What you want the reader to do, or what you plan to do next to further refine your analysis of the issue.

FORMAT

Subject: The policy being promulgated.

From: The official under whose authority the policy is being issued.

To: Those responsible for implementing or complying with a policy.

Date:

Purpose

What are the objectives of the policy?  What will issuing the policy accomplish?

Discussion

Why is this policy being issued at this time? What is the rationale for its issuance? What problems does it address? What policy (if any) does it replace?

Policy

What are the rules or principles of the policy being issued?  What are the policy rules or requirements being promulgated through this memo?    

Implementation

What steps are authorized or recommended to ensure that the policies articulated by this memo are carried out?

Subject: A phrase describing the issue being analyzed

From:

To:

Date:

Issue

A one or two sentence statement of the issue being addressed.

Discussion

Why the issue was developed and is worthy of analysis. How did the issue come into existence? Who are the contending parties and where do they stand?

Options

For each alternative a heading is given that briefly distinguishes options from each other. Where possible, use active headings.  For example, if the issue was "the elevator crisis at SIPA" you might consider the following option headings:

1. Build new elevators.

2. Move classrooms to the fourth floor.

3. Develop a more effective maintenance program.

Under each heading you would then include the following subheads:

Recommendation- A brief statement that defines the option.

Rationale (or Analysis)- A succinct analysis of the costs, benefits and probable impact of the option. Possibly in pro/con format.

Next Steps

This section is not included in many options analyses. If you are simply stating the alternatives, the next steps are entirely up to your reader.  If you are attempting to move the dialogue toward a decision, you should describe the steps that might be taken to come to a decision.