Written communication
Executive email
Write so the decision can be made from the first two lines.
Emailing somebody senior who needs to decide something.
The shape
- Purpose
- Bottom line
- Essential context
- Required action
Why that order
Email has no tone of voice and no chance to read the room. Everything the structure would have carried in person has to be carried by the order.
A worked example
- Subject
- Approval required: Monday release
- Body
- The release needs to move from Friday to Monday. The vendor API build was delayed by three days. We can complete testing by Monday. Please confirm approval for the revised date.
You have it right when
The subject line alone tells them whether this needs them.
Built from
An application framework is a package. These are the reusable shapes inside it.
Mostly serves Message, and reaches into Intent.
A framework tells you what shape the answer takes. It cannot tell you whether shape is what you are short of, and for most people it is not. Which one is yours, and whether a framework is the right instrument at all, is what a Discovery Call is for.
Take the AssessmentOr read the whole glossary first.