White Paper Standards
White Paper Pundit’s Recommended Minimum Standards for a White Paper:
Every industry sets minimum standards. To not do so, creates greater confusion.
At some point in the early days of the computer industry, there was a need to set minimum standards and define what constituted that device from other “computing devices” such as a calculator or a tabulation device. Processor speed? storage capacity? keyboard size? Physical dimensions? Today, we don’t call a calculator a computer. We call it what it is…a calculator.
For some reason, we haven’t reached that plateau in white paper marketing since many marketers are hellbent on affixing the label “white paper” to any document they choose, regardless of size, content, or audience. Have you ever seen a one or two page document with the label “white paper” on the cover? I have, and when it happens, it’s like waving the red flag in front of a raging bull.
Here’s a great example of what I mean. Take a look at this one page document on the right hand side from Hewlett-Packard and you will clearly understand what I mean when I discuss abuse of the term “white paper”.
If we allow someone to arbitrarily call any document a “white paper” we risk thoroughly confusing the reading audience. Without minimum standards the term “white paper” loses credibility and we risk losing the opportunity to capitalize on the label “white paper” when we really need to apply it to a critical business issue.
So in an attempt to raise the bar, I would like to establish a set of minimum standards for a document to be legitimately called a “white paper”. Here goes:
White Paper Standard Rule #1:
A document must have no less than six pages to be considered a white paper
After all, if an in-depth, 15-page perspective on information security by tech industry analyst Gartner, Inc., and a two-page document on the same issue are both classified as “white papers”, then what value does the medium have? How will a business customer know the difference between the two given the huge disparity between the size and extent of the content?
A minimum of six pages provides a reader with at least a few pages devoted to background/industry issues and specific business problems surrounding the topic, before the bulk of the paper is dedicated to solution advantages. Here’s what a minimum six page white paper would look like:
Introduction – One Page
Problem Assessment – Two Pages
Solution Advantages – Two Pages
Concluding Summary – One Page
I would add an Executive Summary to this list, but for many this is optional.
The term “white paper” should represent a document of substance. It’s about time we set a minimum number of pages to avoid the abuse of the medium and those that want to take advantage of the name “white paper”. Six seems like a good bare minimum.
White Paper Standard Rule #2:
A white paper should educate the reader to the practical or applicable issues surrounding the primary topic before presenting a solution discussion.
The two operative words here are practical and applicable. Those words are purposely chosen to be broad and open to interpretation. It’s up to the author to decide what is practical or applicable for the educational content in their white paper, as long as there is some attempt to do so.
The bottom line here is that it is extremely important to bring a non-informed reader up to speed in your white paper on the industry, background, or challenge issues surrounding the primary topic BEFORE the reader is presented with a solution discussion. This avoids the frequent problem that many readers experience when a white paper launches right into the solution advantage discussion on the first page.
Always remember: The average reader doesn’t have the same level of knowledge on the topic that you have. Don’t assume they do when you write a white paper. In fact, assume they know nothing at all. Then write the paper from that perspective. If you fear that you’re going to alienate your more knowledgeable audience, don’t worry about it. They will either appreciate the attempt to clarify your position, or they will turn to the part of the paper they are most interested in. Your reputation won’t suffer as a result of adding educational content, it will be enhanced.
White Paper Standard Rule #3:
A document must have an Introduction to be considered a white paper.
Imagine if you went to a fine restaurant and were immediately served your entree. Or perhaps, if you went to a business presentation and the presenter jumped right into the first slide that discussed the solution advantage?
Would you feel gypped? I would.
A good introduction is an important element that separates a white paper from every other plain vanilla business document. Without it, the reader feels like they are being sold a bill of goods. It is:
- The Appetizer before the Entree.
- The Foreplay before Lovemaking.
- The Joke or Story before the Business Presentation.
An introduction should be from one half to one page, and should educate a reader on the relevant industry, background, business dynamics, events, or industry perspectives surrounding the main white paper topic. If done well, it makes the reader more receptive to the solution or advantage discussion that arrives later in the paper.
In my opinion, an Introduction is a critical element that every white paper should have that separates it from an article, or standard business document. As a result it certainly qualifies as another addition on this list of White Paper Minimum Standards.
White Paper Standard Rule #4:
A white paper must be a document.
All too often, the name “white paper” is attached to a wide variety of business information. A white paper started as a document, and it must remain a document. A white paper is NOT a presentation, NOT an article, NOT a podcast, NOT a video, NOT interactive multimedia. The only other document form that comes close to that of a stand-alone document is an HTML web page, since it is an online version of a document.
To allow these other forms of business communications to use the term “white paper” only serves to add confusion to the business marketplace, and diminish the effectiveness of the white paper medium.
White Paper Standard Rule #5:
A white paper must be in portrait orientation.
Portrait orientation (8.5″ x 11″) is considered a standard for most business documents, and should apply to white papers as well. On occasion marketers have created white papers in Landscape orientation (11″ x 8.5″) as a way not only to be creative, but also to find a unique differentiation in their marketplace. The image to the right is one example that you can see. Is this a presentation or a white paper?
When marketers use a Landscape orientation rather than Portrait orientation for their white papers, reader confusion is certain. It also creates content challenges in providing enough information to address essential issues such as background information, problem identification, and solution assessments.
To ensure the integrity of the white paper medium, Portrait orientation should be a standard requirement. After all, would you submit your resume for your next position in a Landscape format? Unless it’s a position for a Creative Director, I don’t think your prospects for attaining the position will be very good. The same should hold true for the white paper medium. Save your Landscape orientation for your next seminar.
Have a suggestion for a rule that should be added to this list? Let me know here.
