| Frequently Asked
Questions
Why is there a need for
writing training in organizations?
In the world of global commerce
and Internet communications, information has a
growing and measurable value; and because information
is shared and stored in writing, no single skill
is more important across an organization than
writing that communicates well.
Of equal importance, the increasing
volume of information passed from organizations
to their clients and stakeholders directly by
line staff create both a liability and an opportunity.
Building a sustainable, positive corporate image
(brand) is now a distributed function, with every
proposal, report and email affecting public perception
of the value of an organization and its offerings.
How does an organization
know when writing training is required?
Enterprises in which knowledge
workers make up a third of the staff or more must
depend as much on high-quality communication as
any other element for their competitive advantage.
In these organizations, management may detect
the telling symptoms of writing-performance failure:
the quality of emails, letters, reports and proposals
does not meet the standards of the organization
writing quality is inconsistent from department
to department, project to project
in-house editing staff are overworked or frustrated
writing is still seen as a specialty skill
preparation of written documents is labour or
time intensive
staff complains of lack of adequate writing training
When is writing training
effective?
The only truly effective strategy
for organizational writing improvement is the
definition of an appropriate writing standard,
the development of a system to flag when that
standard has been achieved, and the creation of
a curriculum to teach staff how to meet that standard
with consistent results.
What is the BackDRAFT® writing program?
The BackDRAFT® program is
comprised of three elements.
1. It is the world’s first international
standard of writing performance.
2. It is the only system for guaranteeing flawless
writing from every desktop.
3. It is a writing-training curriculum to build
writing excellence staff-wide.
How is BackDRAFT® designed?
BackDRAFT® is a database-driven
software application that features Flash™-based
documentaries, interactive exercises and results-modified
exams. On the fly, the application tailors a course
for each student, and delivers five semesters
of lessons in a curriculum that takes 20 hours
on average to complete.
How does an organization launch
BackDRAFT®?
BackDRAFT® is purchased
on a site-license basis, and is tailored to meet
the corporate requirements of your organization.
There are three levels of licensing:
the standard license gives your organization access to
the BackDRAFT® software and servers,
the custom license tailors BackDRAFT® to
suit your corporate graphics standards, appropriate
lexicon and specialized content, and
the subscription license supports your purchase
through a complete student-relations program and
employee incentive program.
The process of launching BackDRAFT®
in your organization is described in our Countdown
booklet.
What will BackDRAFT® do
for your organization?
BackDRAFT® sets a writing standard
that controls the quality of grammar, diction, punctuation,
syntax and logic in all written materials within an organization.
BackDRAFT® gives staff new
confidence in a core communication skill and ensures
writing that elevates the perception of the
organization in the minds of customers, stakeholders
and the public.
BackDRAFT® ensures rapid
return on investment, reducing dependence on outsourced
writing resources; substantially cutting writing
time to final draft; reducing management review
and editing time by as much as 50 percent.
Finally, BackDRAFT® builds
a competitive advantage, distinguishing your enterprise
from that of your competitors through the written
product.
Why is BackDRAFT® reliable?
Three years in development,
BackDRAFT® was designed by leading software
developers and communications designers in the
U.S. and Canada.
BackDRAFT® was originally
conceived as an in-classroom course by Stiff Sentences
Inc, sister company to The BackDRAFT® Corporation.
Stiff Sentences is an 18-year old firm of writers
that provides corporate writing servers to distinguished
business, government, and NGO clients.
Stiff Sentences originally offered
BackDRAFT® seminars to its global corporate
and government clients for a number of years prior
to moving BackDRAFT® to an online web application
in 2002.
BackDRAFT® is now
in use by corporations and government departments
in over 50 countries. The program is supported
by a student relations team that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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