| Course | BUS 305 Business Research and Communications |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 7 |
| Paper type | Presentation plan |
| Length | About 1,017 words, 6 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Aspen University |
| Program | Business Administration |
| Updated | September 2026 |
Free sample paper for BUS 305 Module 7
Twelve Minutes to a Decision: Presenting Telematics Pilot Results to Leadership
Student Name
Business Administration Program, Aspen University
BUS 305: Business Research and Communications
Instructor Name
Month Day, Year
Twelve Minutes to a Decision: Presenting Telematics Pilot Results to Leadership
Six months into Tallgrass Logistics' telematics pilot, the fleet manager has twelve minutes at the leadership meeting to report results and ask whether to extend the system to the full fleet of 120 trucks. The pilot trucks cut idling by 31% and harsh braking by 44% compared with the comparison trucks, and cameras cleared drivers in two disputed accidents. Leaders will decide whether to spend about $160,000 on the rest of the fleet. This paper plans the presentation: its structure, slides, delivery and handling of questions.
Audience and Purpose
The audience is five executives who approved the pilot on the condition that results be measured. The chief financial officer wants cost evidence; the safety director wants accident data; the chief operating officer worries about driver morale. The purpose is a decision: approve, delay or stop the rollout. Everything in the twelve minutes should help them make that decision well, so the presentation will start with the answer and spend most of its time on evidence.
Structure
The presentation has three parts. The opening, about one minute, states the recommendation: extend telematics to the full fleet beginning in September. The body, about eight minutes, presents three findings, each on its own slide: fuel, safety and drivers. The close, about three minutes, states the cost, the decision needed and the timeline, leaving time for questions. Stating the recommendation first respects executives' time and tells them how to listen.
Slide Design
The slides use the assertion-evidence approach: each slide has a full-sentence headline stating the point, supported by a visual such as a chart or photograph rather than a list of bullets. Alley and Neeley (2005) argued for this design as an alternative to default topic-and-bullet templates, and a later study of engineering students found that those taught with assertion-evidence slides understood the content better than those taught with bullet-list slides (Garner & Alley, 2013). The design also follows principles from research on multimedia learning, such as removing extraneous material, highlighting what matters and pairing spoken words with graphics rather than with printed text that repeats them (Mayer, 2020).
Slide Outline
The table outlines the slides.
| Slide | Headline | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Extending telematics to all 120 trucks will pay back in about two years | Simple payback figure |
| 2 | Pilot trucks idled 31% less than comparison trucks | Bar chart of monthly idle hours, pilot vs. comparison |
| 3 | Harsh braking fell 44%, and cameras cleared two drivers | Line chart; still frame from one cleared incident |
| 4 | Most drivers now say the scorecards are fair | Quote from a driver survey and one sentence of results |
| 5 | Rollout costs about $160,000 and starts in September | Cost table and timeline |
| 6 | Decision needed today: approve the September rollout | One line; no other content |
Delivery
The fleet manager will speak from brief notes, not read the slides, and will face the audience rather than the screen. Each slide will be introduced by its headline, then explained in one or two sentences before the next. Numbers will be spoken slowly and rounded where precision does not matter, such as "about a third less idling." The camera still will be shown for only a few seconds and described plainly, without dramatizing the accident. The presenter will stop at eleven minutes regardless, leaving time for questions.
Anticipating Questions
The likely questions can be prepared in advance. The chief financial officer may ask whether the savings would hold across the full fleet; the answer is that the comparison group design supports it, with a conservative estimate in reserve. The chief operating officer may ask about drivers who objected; the answer includes the survey results and the two drivers who left, with their stated reasons. The safety director may ask about privacy; the answer covers who can view footage and when. Backup slides with detailed figures will be ready but shown only if asked.
Rehearsal
The fleet manager plans three practice runs: a timed solo run, a run in front of a finance colleague asked to push back hard, and a final run in the actual meeting room using its projector. Rehearsal reveals slides that take too long, transitions that confuse and numbers that are hard to say aloud. After the colleague's run-through, the original seven slides were cut to six by merging two safety slides.
Handling the Unexpected
If the meeting runs late and time is cut to five minutes, the presenter will show only slides 1, 2, 5 and 6. If the projector fails, a one-page printed summary with the same headlines and charts will be handed out. Planning for these cases lets the presenter stay calm and keep the focus on the decision.
The Opening Thirty Seconds
The opening is scripted word for word because first impressions shape how executives hear everything else. "Six months ago you approved a pilot with a condition: show results with our own trucks. Here they are. Pilot trucks idled a third less and braked hard less than half as often as the rest of the fleet. I am recommending that we extend the system to all 120 trucks in September. I'll show you three findings and the cost, and then I would like a decision." In under forty seconds the audience knows the result, the request and the plan for the time.
After the Meeting
Within a day, the fleet manager will send a short email to the leadership team summarizing the decision, any conditions attached to it and next steps, with the slides and backup figures attached. If leaders asked for more information, the email will say when it will arrive. A presentation that ends without a written record can lead to different memories of what was decided.
Conclusion
A twelve-minute presentation to leaders is a tool for a decision. This plan leads with the recommendation, presents three findings on assertion-evidence slides tied to each executive's concerns, keeps delivery conversational and prepares for questions and disruptions. The design choices are supported by research on slide design and multimedia learning, and rehearsal turns the plan into a performance the audience can trust.
References
Alley, M., & Neeley, K. A. (2005). Rethinking the design of presentation slides: A case for sentence headlines and visual evidence. Technical Communication, 52(4), 417-426.
Garner, J. K., & Alley, M. (2013). How the design of presentation slides affects audience comprehension: A case for the assertion-evidence approach. International Journal of Engineering Education, 29(6), 1564-1579.
Mayer, R. E. (2020). Multimedia learning (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
BUS 305 Module 7 instructions, in plain terms
Presenting information is one of the skills in Aspen's BUS 305 description, and the seventh module usually asks students to plan or deliver a presentation. The Module 7 assignment is provided to enrolled students, so this example plans one leadership briefing. Define the audience and what they must decide. Choose a structure that fits the time and purpose. Design slides deliberately and support your design with research rather than habit. Outline each slide's point and evidence. Plan delivery, including how you will speak numbers aloud. Prepare for likely questions and for disruptions such as a shortened time slot. Explain how you will rehearse and what you will send afterward so the decision is recorded.
How the BUS 305 Module 7 example is put together
The paper opens with the pilot results and the $160,000 decision. It names the concerns of the chief financial officer, safety director and chief operating officer. The structure section gives one minute to the recommendation, eight to three findings and three to cost and decision. Slide design cites Alley and Neeley's case for sentence headlines, Garner and Alley's comprehension study and Mayer's multimedia principles. A six-row table lists each slide's headline and evidence. A scripted forty-second opening follows. Delivery, prepared answers on savings, drivers and privacy, and three rehearsals that cut a slide come next. Plans for a five-minute slot or a failed projector and a same-day summary email close it.
Reading the BUS 305 Module 7 grading rubric
Presentation plans are judged on audience analysis, structure, slide design, delivery and preparation. This example ties each slide to an executive's concern and supports its design choices with research. The APA references are Alley and Neeley's Technical Communication article, Garner and Alley's International Journal of Engineering Education study and Mayer's Multimedia Learning. The slide table lets an instructor see the whole talk at a glance. Scripting the opening, preparing answers and planning for a shortened slot show the kind of readiness professionals need. Following up in writing shows that a presentation is part of a decision process, not an event on its own.
Common BUS 305 Module 7 mistakes, and how to avoid them
A common weakness is building slides first and figuring out the message later. Decide the point of each slide, then design it. Another is filling slides with bullet points you then read aloud. Use a headline sentence and a visual. Match the structure to the audience's decision, and state the recommendation early. Prepare for questions the audience is likely to ask. Rehearse with a timer and with someone who will challenge you. Plan what to cut if time shrinks. Explain your design choices with research, not preference. Keep charts simple enough for the farthest seat to read, and check that every number matches your source. In your written plan, say what you would cut first if your time were halved, since that shows you know which points matter most.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Aspen University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.
More BUS 305 and Business Administration sample papers
- BUS 305 Module 1: Audience and Writing Process
- BUS 305 Module 2: Routine and Positive Messages
- BUS 305 Module 3: Bad-News Messages
- BUS 305 Module 4: Persuasive Proposal
- BUS 305 Module 5: Research Plan and Sources
- BUS 305 Module 6: Formal Business Report
- BUS 305 Module 8: Team Communication and Culture
- BUS 225 Module 6: Agency and Employment
- BUS 210 Module 7: Operations Plan Paper
BUS 305 Module 7 questions, answered
What does BUS 305 Module 7 usually ask for?
Aspen's BUS 305 covers presenting information, so planning or delivering a business presentation with slides is typical. Follow your classroom prompt.
What are assertion-evidence slides?
Slides with a full-sentence headline stating the main point, supported by a visual such as a chart or photograph instead of bullet lists.
Should a presentation to executives start with the recommendation?
Usually yes; stating it first respects their time and helps them evaluate the evidence that follows.
Where can I find a free BUS 305 Module 7 sample paper?
It is posted in full above: a twelve-minute leadership presentation plan with a six-slide outline table, assertion-evidence design, prepared answers and rehearsal.
How many slides should a twelve-minute presentation have?
Enough to carry one main point each; for a decision briefing, five to eight slides with backups for detail usually works.