Logical message structure underlies all effective workplace communication.

Communicating in a workplace happens in 3 different forms:

1. Conversations — verbal and non-verbal
2. Presentations — visual, verbal, non-verbal
3. Written documents — written word, visual

Underlying all these forms is the actual message and its structure. Effective message structure is pretty much independent of form, so learning about how to structure written communication well also helps with structuring presentations well and vice versa.

A few examples…

The Minto Pyramid / SCQA

The Minto Pyramid was developed by Barbara Minto to teach McKinsey consultants to write more effectively. It emphasises the use of inductive over deductive logic to communicate because it is easier to understand and remember.

Borrowing an example from Wolfgang Gatterbauer…

Deductive logic: You kissed my girlfriend, then you insulted my mother, then you kicked my cat, therefore I hate you.

Inductive logic: I hate you for the following three reasons: you kissed my girlfriend, you insulted my mother, and you kicked my cat.

Inductive logic gets to the point much more quickly than deductive logic.

The structure is Situation Complication Question Answer (SCQA):

• What is the current Situation?
• What Complications have arisen in the situation?
• Given the complications, what Questions do we need answers to?
• What are the Answers to those questions?

For more info, see The Minto Pyramid Principle.

Extreme Presentation Method / SCoRE

This method is similar to the Minto Pyramid given Andrew Abela is ex-McKinsey. As the name suggests, it’s designed for presentations, specifically for the conference room, small group setting.

The structure is Situation Complication Resolution Example (SCoRE):

• What is the completely non-controversial Situation you’re in?
• What Complications do the audience have with the situation?
• What are the Resolutions to each complication?
• What is a specific, concrete Example of each resolution?

Note how SCoRE is essentially SCQA but removes Questions and adds Example.

For more info, see my previous summary and Advanced Presentations by Design.

NOSE

The NOSE structure was developed by Tom Sant for writing persuasive business proposals. Poorly written proposals start by talking about yourself first and then your products and services. Well-written proposals start by talking about the customer’s needs and what outcome they will get by buying.

The structure is Need Outcome Solution Evidence (NOSE):

• Summarise the client’s Needs
• Show the potential Outcomes in terms of gains or improvements
• Recommend Solutions or an approach to find them
• Substantiate with Evidence that we can do the job

Note the similarity with both SCQA and SCoRE. Need is like a combination of Situation and Complication (and possibly Questions), Solution is like Resolution, Evidence is like Example.

For more info, see Persuasive Business Proposals.

SPIN

SPIN Selling is how Neil Rackham describes what effective large-value sales interactions look like.

The structure is Situation Problem Implication Need (SPIN):

• The seller uses Situation questions to establish a context, leading to…
• Problem questions so that the buyer reveals…
• Implied needs which are developed by Implication questions which makes the buyer feel the problem more clearly and acutely, leading to…
• Need-payoff questions so that the buyer states explicit Needs allowing the seller to state benefits of buying the product or service

Again, note the similarity with both SCQA and SCoRE. Problem and Implication is an expansion of Complication. Need is essentially about the client thinking about Questions that need Answers.

For more info, see my previous summary and SPIN Selling.