Writing Briefing Notes That Inform
Having a briefing note returned with questions you thought you had already answered is frustrating. You might wonder if you left out a key detail, overexplained something obvious, or structured the information in a way that didn’t land as intended. Sometimes, feedback is vague. You might hear comments like “needs more clarity” or “too much information,” but it’s hard to know exactly what to change or where to begin. Other times, conflicting expectations from different readers make it challenging to anticipate what they need. Finding the right balance between too much and too little detail can be tricky, adding to the challenge of writing an effective briefing note.
Briefing notes are essential tools organizations use to summarize key information for decision-making, meeting preparation, and situational updates. Unlike face-to-face communication, they must stand alone and deliver the right information, in the right amount, at the right time. When they miss the mark, whether unclear, too detailed, or missing critical points, they don’t just slow down decision-making; they can lead to misalignment, unnecessary back-and-forth, and even poor outcomes. Leaders rely on briefing notes to make informed choices, and when the information isn’t presented effectively, the entire organization feels the impact. A well-written briefing note helps leaders quickly grasp key points and take informed action.
In this workshop, you’ll learn how to write briefing notes that are clear and purposeful. Through practical exercises and real-world examples, you will learn how to plan and structure briefing notes effectively, tailor content to different audiences, and ensure brevity without losing critical details.
By the end of this workshop, you will have the tools and confidence to write briefing notes that inform, persuade, and guide action. Your notes will be easier to read and more likely to deliver the right message at the right time.
- Assess incoming requests to determine the purpose, key actions, and target audience.
- Apply structured planning and organization techniques to craft clear and effective briefing notes.
- Tailor the message of briefing notes to meet the needs and perspectives of the intended audience.
- Use plain language principles to enhance clarity, conciseness, and readability.
- Strengthen sentence and paragraph structure for improved coherence and impact.
- Eliminate buried verbs, passive voice, and unnecessary wording to simplify messaging.
- Apply parallel structure and strong formatting for professional readability.
- Edit and review briefing notes to ensure accuracy, bias awareness, and goodwill.
This workshop supports professionals who write briefing notes and want to improve clarity, structure, and impact. Whether you're new to writing briefing notes or looking to refine your approach, this session will help you communicate key information more effectively and support faster, better decision-making.
You should attend if you
- Find it challenging to determine what information to include and what to leave out
- Struggle with writing for multiple audiences who have different expectations
- Want to make your briefing notes easier to read, more focused, and action oriented
- Need to summarize complex information into clear, concise documents for leaders or partners
- Work in roles that involve supporting executive decision-making, preparing situational updates, or providing strategic recommendations
By attending this workshop, you will gain the tools and confidence to write briefing notes that inform, persuade, and guide action. Your notes will be easier to read and better aligned with your readers' needs.
This workshop gives you the opportunity to practise writing briefing notes through structured planning, editing, and reflection. You’ll work with real and sample documents to test out strategies for identifying key messages, organizing information, and simplifying content. Activities move between independent writing, group discussion, and guided review, giving you time to explore different approaches and make practical adjustments to your own writing.
You’ll also receive a workbook with templates, formatting tips, and editing tools to support your briefing note writing after the session.
Workshop activities include
- Planning and outlining content for specific audiences
- Editing for structure, conciseness, and specifics
- Editing for goodwill and unintended bias
- Working with your own documents or provided examples
- Reviewing briefing notes to assess clarity and focus
- Creating a personal action plan
- Completing a proof-of-learning assignment
