The Communication-By-Objectives Approach People create messages to meet specific needs. An effective plan for creating messages is Communication-By-Objectives Approach (CBO), a whole-into-parts process. CBO provides a framework for developing effective messages. An effective message transmits your intended meaning to the receiver and creates a positive image for you and your organization. It is important that the message demonstratescourtesy,clarity,conciseness,concreteness, correctness, andcompleteness. You can increase your chance of achieving your objective and also promote trust and goodwill between your receiver and you. Following the CBO approach enables you to develop effective appropriate messages for any communication situation. TheCBO approachconsists of the following steps: 1. Plan a message: Identify your objective, visualize your audience, gather supporting information, and organize the information. 2. Compose a draft: as you compose, choose words, construct sentences, assemble paragraphs, and choose paragraph locations. 3. Complete a message: work from your draft to revise, edit, proofread, and finalize your message. Plan a Message Planning provides the foundation of effective communication –spoken or written. It helps you achieve your communication objective. There are four activities in the planning process: (1) identify the objective, (2) visualize the audience, (3) gather supporting information, and (4) organize the information. 1.Identify the objective Why are you creating the message? Are you trying to persuade, inform, or inquire? State the objective of your message simply, clearly, and concisely. 2.Visualize the audience Create a mental picture of your audience. Knowing as much as possible about the receiver will help you develop a message that is more likely to achieve a favorable response. When you know your receiver or when you respond to an inquiry, you have some knowledge about the receiver’s interests or concerns. To help visualize your audience, answer the following questions:
