Dot-Dash Outlines

A variation on indented display is the dot-dash outline, or lap visual, generally used by consulting firms for progress reviews. These reviews are often given to a small group of client executives, sitting around a table, The group tends to go through the document together, reading one page at a time.

Again, the technique is to show ever-more subordinate ideas by placing them further to the right of the page, as shown in the box on the next page.

The rules here are much looser than for other forms, in that you do not adhere strictly to having at least two of every level point. The object is to get the main points out for the reader in a way that is easy to see, but that does not give too much information at one time, thus ensuring slow reading and full digestion and discussion of what is being said.