As a project manager, you know that effective communication is key to the success of your projects. After all, a project manager’s job is to coordinate and oversee the work of a team of people, which means being able to clearly communicate your vision, goals, and expectations.
While oral communication skills are important, written communication skills are just as essential. After all, a large part of a project manager’s job involves writing emails, memos, reports, and other documents. That’s why it’s so important to make sure your writing is clear, concise, and easy to understand.
Not sure where to start? Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. In this blog post, we’ll share 10 tips to help you improve your writing skills as a project manager. By following these suggestions, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a better writer—and a better project manager.
1. Read well-written PRDs. One of the best ways to improve your writing skills is to read well-written examples of the type of document you’re trying to create. If you’re working on creating a PRD (product requirement document), for example, find a few examples of well-written PRDs and use them as models for your own document. Not only will this help you understand what a good PRD looks like, but it will also give you some ideas about what elements should be included in your own document.
2. Use the BLUF method. When writing any type of business document, it’s important to keep the reader’s attention focused on the most important information. That’s where the BLUF method comes in handy. BLUF stands for bottom line up front—in other words, start with the most important information and then provide supporting details later on in the document. This will help ensure that your reader doesn’t get bogged down in unnecessary details and losing sight of the main point of your document.
3. Adopt frameworks. Another helpful tip for project managers who want to improve their writing skills is to adopt frameworks—structures or templates that can be used as guides for writing various types of documents. For example, if you’re working on creating an RFP (request for proposal), there are many different RFP templates available online that you can use as a starting point for your own document. By using a framework, you can be sure that you’re including all of the necessary information in your document while also keeping your writing concise and focused.
4. Utilize other forms of communication. While written communication is an important part of a project manager’s job, it’s not the only form of communication that you should be using. In fact, utilizing other forms of communication—such as oral communication, visual communication (e.g., charts and graphs), and nonverbal communication (e., body language)—can actually be more effective in some situations than written communication alone. So don’t be afraid to mix things up and use different types of communication depending on the situation and your audience.
5. Use web typography principles . These days, more and more business documents are being created for the web rather than for print publication . That’s why it’s so important to familiarize yourself with web typography principles —guidelines for how type should be formatted for optimal readability on screens . By following these principles when creating documents for the web , you can help ensure that your readers will be able to easily read and understand your content .
6 . Write notes for future self with empathy . We all know how frustrating it can be when we can’t find something we need because it’s buried in a pile of paperwork somewhere . To avoid this problem , try writing notes for future self with empathy —in other words , write down what you need in a way that will make sense to you when you come back later . For example , instead of just jotting down “meeting with John at 3pm,” try something like “meeting with John at 3pm about XYZ project .” This way , when you come back later , you’ll know exactly what the note refers to without having to search through piles of paperwork .
7 . Chunk it up . When starting out , long-form documents can seem daunting —but they don’t have to be . One helpful tip is to chunk it up —that is , break up the document into smaller pieces so that it’s not so overwhelming . You can also try collaborating with team members as you’re fleshing out the document together ; this way , everyone will have input into the final product and no one will feel overwhelmed by the task at hand .
8 . Learn storytelling techniques . Storytelling is an incredibly powerful tool —one that can be used to get buy-in from stakeholders , even if they’re resistant at first . Luckily , there are many online groups dedicated to teaching people how to tell stories effectively . By joining one of these groups and learning some storytelling techniques , you’ll be able to craft compelling narratives that will convince even the most skeptical stakeholders to get on board with your project .
9 . Use emotional appeals wisely . It’s no secret that emotions play a big role in decision-making —which means they can also play a big role in getting buy-in from stakeholders . However , it’s important not too overdo it with emotional appeals ; otherwise , people may think you’re manipulating them into agreeing with you . If used wisely , though , emotional appeals can be an incredibly effective way to get people invested in your project and its success .
10 Follow Ameet Ranadive ‘s blog about lessons he learned about writing well at McKinsey.’s blog Last but not least , we highly recommend following Ameet Ranadive ‘s blog about lessons he learned about writing well during his time at McKinsey & Company.’s blog Ranadive provides valuable insights into how anyone can improve their business writing skills —no matter their level of experience or expertise.’s blog
Conclusion:
By following these 10 tips , you ‘ll be well on your way towards becoming a better writer—and thus a better project manager.’ll improve With clear and concise writing being such an integral part ‘t hesitate componentto practice taking some time each day touncover strivehidden talents improveyour current skillsetto reach levels beyond what’you never knew possibleve thought wouldbe possible!
