Pitched Unfairly

This document is the property of His Britannic Majesty's Government

Brevity.

The answer

Cut every report to its main points, starting today.

Reading time: nine seconds

W.P. (G) (40) 211 · Copy No. 1

To
The Prime Minister
From
Cabinet Office
Date
9 August 1940
Subject
Brevity

Recommendation: one sentence. Detail: appendix.

Action this day

S · Situation

We all have to read a mass of papers.

Prime Minister since
10 May 1940
Battle of Britain
Day 31
Time to read it all
None
Admiralty
Air Ministry
Aircraft Production
Supply
Shipping
Home Security
Food
Information
War Office
Chiefs of Staff
In-tray, 9 August 1940

C · Complication

Nearly all are far too long, so the point gets lost.

Energy goes on looking for the essential points.

Report on the position, page 4 of 11

Q · Question

How does a report get its point read first?

A · The answer Cut every report to its main points.
  1. 1Main points first
    Sentence headlines: d = 0.81
  2. 2Detail to an appendix
    One page up front
  3. 3Woolly phrases out
    One word each

1 · Main points first

Put the point in the headline and readers understand more.

d = 0.81

Comprehension, sentence headline vs topic and bullets

Garner, Alley et al., 2013 · N = 110

Filed 73 years early.

Departmental Reports: Position

  • Volume of papers at present in circulation
  • Length of reports submitted by Departments
  • Considerations regarding format and presentation
  • Possible courses of action for the future
  • Further points to be borne in mind

Our reports are too long. Cut them to the main points.

TodayOne page

Words on this slide14

2 · Detail to an appendix

Figures belong in an appendix.

Duarte's ratio: 50 slides of appendix, 5 of summary.

The paper

  1. The point, in one sentence.
  2. Why: three short paragraphs.
  3. What we need from you, by when.

See Appendix A.

Appendix A · Statistics

As long as it needs to be

3 · Woolly phrases out

Woolly phrases are padding, or one word.

11 words saved17 in, 6 out
Red pencil

It is also of importance to bear in mind the following considerationsNote: paper is in short supply.

Note: paper is in short supply.

Risks and the alternative

It will read rough at first, and the time saved is worth it.

Options considered

  1. A Carry on with full-dress Reports Nearly all far too long.
  2. B Headings only, expanded orally Keep it for the right occasion.
  3. C Short, crisp paragraphs, appendix behind Recommended.

Risks, with the answer to each

  • Reads rough beside officialeseThe saving in time will be great.
  • Sounds conversationalLet us not shrink from it.

The decision needed

We need your initials on the minute, today.

Decision
Send the minute to every minister and their staffs
Decider
The Prime Minister
By
Today, 9 August 1940

10 Downing Street · 9 August 1940

Brevity.

  1. Main points in short, crisp paragraphs.
  2. Analysis and statistics in an Appendix.
  3. Sometimes, headings only.
  4. No woolly phrases.
W.S.C.
Action this day

Appendix

Everything long lives here, behind a tab.

The minute
Churchill, "Brevity", W.P. (G) (40) 211, 9 August 1940. The National Archives, CAB 67/8/11.
Headlines
Garner, Alley, Wolfe and Sawarynski, 2013. Sentence headlines with evidence beat topics with bullets. N = 110.
Structure
Barbara Minto, The Pyramid Principle. The answer on top, the reasons grouped beneath it.
Appendix
Nancy Duarte on briefing executives: summary first, the rest at about ten to one.
The label
International Churchill Society on the red "Action this day" labels.