ANALYSIS TASK

Question 1

What kind of facts should you pick out in particular?

Answer 1

Financial and numerical data

Question 2

Approach to grid

Answer 2

Fill out the grid as you go along - when you’ve scanned all the material, put it to one side and don’t touch it again

Question 3

STRUCTURE (6 stages)

Answer 3

• INTRODUCTION
• RECOMMENDATION
• ANALYSIS OF EACH OPTION against ALL the criteria (usually 4), trying to group the pros and cons
• ANALYSE THE OPTIONS YOU’RE NOT RECOMMENDING in as much depth a the one you are and avoid emotive language
• CONCLUSION
• RISKS AND MITIGATING ACTIONS

Question 4

SPEED READING TECHNIQUES (8)

Answer 4

• Be clear about info you’re looking for
• Flick through all the materials first
• Use a pointer to speed your pace
• Avoid back-skipping - pretend it’s a film at the cinema
• Look for facts and figures, bullets, bold type, italics, underlining, summaries, conclusions, conjunctives (therefore)
• Focus on first sentences of paragraphs
• Imagine a line down the centre of the page and lead your eyes down that
• Set a time goal

Question 5

What to consider when examining practical constraints?

Answer 5

Show an awareness of how the issues are inter-related and acknowledge the difficulties involved in the big picture planning of the project

Question 6

THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN THINKING PRACTICALLY (5)

Answer 6

• Costs
• Communications
• Risks
• What you would actually do and in what order
• Show awareness of the bigger picture (avoid getting bogged down in detail)

Question 7

E.g. of typical question that could be asked

Answer 7

What problems might arise and how would you deal with them