portfolio PROJECT 1 Writing an Informational Message This exercise is the first of eight portfolio projects that will provide you with actual evidence to demonstrate your communication competence to potential employers. The forms for these projects and blank letterheads are available on the Internet at http://business.college.hmco.com. See the sample portfolio project shown in Figure 53. The problem is shown at the left, and the student's finished document is shown at the right. PROBLEM You are the head of the catalog sales department of Branford's, a large department store located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Most of your 17 full-time employees are high school graduates, and many of them are female. For beginning workers, you pay $2.50 per hour over the minimum wage, plus fringe benefits. Send a message to your employees informing them that management has decided that no one can take vaca- tion or personal days during the months of November and December. The reason, of course, is that the holiday season is your busiest sales period. PROCESS Compose a few paragraphs describing how you solved this problem. In narrative form, provide information such as the following: 1. What is the purpose of your message? 2. Describe your audience. 3. Will you use a direct or an indirect organizational plan? (What is your audience's likely reaction to this memo?) 4. What reasons can you give for your decision? 5. How can you stress the "you" attitude and use positive language to explain the reasons for this decision? 6. Will you format this document as a letter or memo? Why? PRODUCT Compose your document and follow the five steps in the writing process (planning. drafting, revising, formatting, and proofreading). Format the final version on letter- head stationery (refer to the Style Manual in the appendix at the back of the book for formatting guidelines)