Derek's Professional Portfolio

The Networking Report created in July 2015 for IT-340 is a formal proposal targeted to the management team of a new start-up company (Newton Ad Agency) that outlines the recommended Network IP strategy, Remote access strategy, and WAN technologies to the meet the specified business requirements. The members of the management team have varying backgrounds and sometimes limited knowledge of IT services.

In order for my proposal to be effective it was essential to craft the networking report in such a way that members with a limited knowledge of IT services would be able to understand and effectively interpret my recommendations. Utilizing print and multimedia strategies, the networking report thoroughly addressed all of the stated business requirements and explained the rationale behind all recommendations in explicit detail while providing clear and easy to understand definitions of key concepts and terms used throughout the proposal.

In creating the Networking Report I was able to further develop and refine my communication skills to cater to the needs of diverse audiences with varying backgrounds and understanding of the topic(s) being discussed. The biggest challenge in creating the report was the need to thoroughly explain all concepts and rationale in a condensed and easy to understand format, so as not to overwhelm or alienate the reader. This exercise was particularly effective for preparing me for my future career as I will often need to communicate with a diverse group of people ranging from end-users, to members of management, and other IT professionals when designing and developing future software applications.