Build a Transportation Proposal Sprint

Create a one-page proposal and three-slide client briefing from technical notes.

Introduction

30 Second Summary

Interviews often ask you to prove several skills at once, even when your strongest examples come from school or volunteer work. Under time pressure, it is easy to describe those skills without showing how they fit together.

In this project, you will complete a timed mini-pursuit for a fictional municipal transportation project using Google Docs and Google Slides. The finished package gives you concrete evidence of writing, quality control, coordination, presentation design, and deadline management.

What You'll Build

You open a polished fictional pursuit package whose one-page response and three-slide briefing tell the same client-ready story.

By the end of this project, you'll have:

A polished one-page response that turns rough transportation notes into clear client-facing copy. You can point to consistent names, accurate schedule language, and the removal of unsupported promises.
A concise three-slide briefing that presents the corridor challenge, team approach, coordination plan, and schedule in 90 seconds.
A documented quality-control trail with a reusable checklist, work log, technical-question comment, and STAR response. Together, they show how you protect accuracy under a deadline.
Secret Mission: Apply a last-minute approved change across the document and presentation without introducing inconsistencies.

Are there any prerequisites?

You need a Google account with working access to Google Docs and Google Slides on a Windows computer. Transportation engineering knowledge is not required.

Before We Start

Before any hands-on work, commit to the fictional work sample you are about to create. Naming the skills it demonstrates gives your pursuit sprint a clear purpose.

Set Up Your Timed Pursuit Workspace

A timed pursuit becomes difficult to control when source notes share a space with deliverables. Decisions can disappear in the same clutter.

You will use Google Docs for the workbook plus the one-pager. Google Slides will hold the presentation.

In this step, get ready to:

Create the structured pursuit workbook.
Create the blank client one-pager.
Create the blank interview presentation.

Create the pursuit workbook

The workbook gives your client brief a clear home. It also separates technical notes from quality-control decisions.

Create a new workbook by opening https://docs.google.com/create.
Complete Google sign-in if prompted.
Confirm that you can type in the blank document.
Select the current document title in the upper-left corner.
Replace the current name with Cedar Avenue Pursuit Workbook.
Press Enter to apply the new title.

The editable title now reads Cedar Avenue Pursuit Workbook.

Add Client Brief as the first heading.
Add Technical Notes on the next line.
Add Quality-Control Checklist on the next line.
Add Work Log on the next line.
Select all four heading lines.
Open the paragraph styles menu in the Google Docs toolbar.
Choose a heading style.

Your workbook now has four visible areas for controlling the pursuit.

The Work Log gives the sprint a timestamp. That makes your deadline management easier to explain during an interview.

Place the cursor on a new line beneath Work Log.
Record the current date plus the time shown in the Windows taskbar.

Strong start. Your workbook now separates the work into four clear areas.

Can't edit the workbook?

Check that you completed sign-in with the Google account that has Google Docs access.
Reload the document if the page has stopped responding.
Use this prompt for more help: Help me work out why I cannot edit a new Google Docs file.

Create the client one-pager

The one-pager is the client-facing deliverable. Keeping it separate protects the clean layout from source notes.

Open a new browser tab from the browser tab bar.
Create the one-pager in that tab by opening https://docs.google.com/create.
Confirm that the blank document is editable.
Select the current document title in the upper-left corner.
Replace the current name with Cedar Avenue Client One-Pager.
Press Enter to apply the new title.
Confirm that the document body remains blank.

The client-facing file now has its own editable workspace. Its blank page is ready for the first draft.

Create the interview presentation

The presentation will turn the approved proposal message into a short visual briefing. A separate file lets you control that format without changing the one-pager.

Open another browser tab from the browser tab bar.
Create the presentation in that tab by opening https://slides.google.com/create.
Confirm that the blank presentation is editable.
Select the current presentation title in the upper-left corner.
Replace the current name with Cedar Avenue Interview Presentation.
Press Enter to apply the new title.
Confirm that you have not added any proposal content.

While you are online, Google saves changes as you type. Your three practice files can remain open without a manual save step.

Before you make the final check, do you expect every file title to match the pursuit package exactly?

Switch back to the workbook tab.
Confirm that its editable title reads Cedar Avenue Pursuit Workbook.
Confirm that all four headings are visible.
Confirm that the start time appears beneath Work Log.
Switch to the one-pager tab.
Confirm that its editable title reads Cedar Avenue Client One-Pager.
Switch to the presentation tab.
Confirm that its editable title reads Cedar Avenue Interview Presentation.

All three browser tabs should remain open with editable title fields. The workbook should also show four headings plus your recorded start time.

Your pursuit now has a controlled starting line. Every source note plus deliverable has a defined place before drafting begins.

Your timed workspace is ready. Next, you will add the fictional brief plus the deliberately messy technical notes.

Build the Flawed First Draft

Your timed workspace is organized. Your Google Docs workbook and one-pager are ready for the first drafting sprint.

A fast draft gets words onto the page. Copying rough notes without proposal compliance can preserve conflicting details.

The resulting page can carry an inconsistent name. It can also carry an unsupported promise.

The wrong schedule can slip through too. This deliberately imperfect first pass gives you a controlled baseline for quality control.

In this step, get ready to:

Add the fictional client brief to the workbook.
Preserve the deliberately messy technical notes.
Build a formatted one-page draft with visible compliance problems.

Add the fictional client brief

The client brief controls the project name, required sections, known facts, schedule, and writing limits. It gives every later decision one source of truth.

Switch back to the Cedar Avenue Pursuit Workbook from earlier.
Add the fictional brief below Client Brief by pasting this text:

Client: Town of Cedar Grove, a fictional municipality.
Project: Cedar Avenue Safety Improvements.
Deliverables: One client-facing page and three presentation slides.
Required one-page sections:
Client Need
Team Approach
Coordination
Schedule
Client facts: A fictional 0.8-mile corridor with two intersections, sidewalk gaps, outdated curb ramps, a nearby school, and small businesses that need continued access.
Schedule requirement: A 90-day design schedule.
Unknown item: The traffic-count collection date has not been supplied.
Writing requirement: Use plain language. Do not invent commitments.

What Does This Brief Control?

The project line establishes the approved name for the fictional pursuit.
The required sections define the one-pager's information structure.
The schedule line records the approved duration.
The unknown item protects the missing traffic-count date from being invented.

Review the text below Client Brief for the client facts.
Count the four required section names in the brief.

You should see one fictional client brief with four required sections. Google Docs saves the changes as you type while you are online.

Good. Your workbook now has a clear source of truth for the pursuit.

Is the Brief Under the Wrong Heading?

Move the pasted text so its first line sits directly below Client Brief. Keep Technical Notes empty for the next part.

Compare each line with the reference above. Help me check the fictional client brief in my pursuit workbook.

Capture the messy technical notes

Technical notes often arrive as fragments instead of polished client language. Keeping this fictional handoff verbatim shows where a rushed draft can drift from the brief.

Stay in the Cedar Avenue Pursuit Workbook from earlier.
Add the rough handoff below Technical Notes by pasting these lines:

Cedar St. corridor
two signals plus sidewalk and ramp work
traffic count date TBD
promise 60 days if possible
guarantee zero delays
weekly Town coordination
project manager, transportation engineer, construction coordinator
keep school and business access open

Why Keep the Notes Messy?

These lines simulate a rushed technical handoff. Their shorthand creates a controlled test of how source language can affect client-facing work.

The notes also preserve uncertain claims exactly as received. That makes every later decision traceable.

Count the entries below Technical Notes.
Compare each entry with the pasted reference.

You should see eight separate technical-note entries. The original shorthand remains visible.

Are Any Technical Notes Missing?

Check that the first entry says Cedar St. corridor. Check that the last entry says keep school and business access open.

Use the reference block to restore any missing line. Help me compare my technical notes with the required fictional handoff.

Create the first-pass one-pager

The one-pager turns the source material into a document a client could scan quickly. This version keeps the fast-draft problems visible so you can observe the result of copying rough notes without a compliance gate.

Switch back to the Cedar Avenue Client One-Pager from earlier.
Build the first-pass structure by pasting this complete draft into the empty document:

Cedar Avenue Safety Improvements

Client Need
Harborline Engineering will improve the Cedar Street Safety Upgrades corridor. The 0.8-mile project includes two intersections, sidewalk gaps, and outdated curb ramps. Our project manager, transportation engineer, and construction coordinator will work together and meet weekly with the Town. We will collect new traffic counts, complete design in 60 days, and guarantee zero delays while keeping access open.

Team Approach

Coordination

Schedule

What Does This Draft Establish?

The first line gives the document a clear project title.
The four headings establish the required one-page structure.
The body remains one fast-pass paragraph under Client Need.
The wording preserves the inconsistencies from the rushed handoff.

Confirm the complete body paragraph appears below Client Need.

You should now see the project title, four section headings, and one continuous first-pass paragraph.

Use the formatting toolbar to make the document title the largest text on the page.
Use the formatting toolbar to make each section heading bold.
Confirm the complete draft fits within one page.

The one-pager should now look like a plausible client document while preserving the deliberately flawed copy.

Does the Draft Spill Onto Another Page?

Reduce oversized body text until the title, headings, and full paragraph fit on one page. Keep every word in the supplied draft unchanged.

Confirm that blank space separates the title from the body. Help me format this draft as a readable one-page Google Doc without changing its wording.

✔️ Awesome, I've got everything!

Your one-pager now contains the complete first-pass structure. The deliberate problem phrases remain visible for the final check.

ⓧ I'd like to double check the full draft

Cedar Avenue Safety Improvements

Client Need
Harborline Engineering will improve the Cedar Street Safety Upgrades corridor. The 0.8-mile project includes two intersections, sidewalk gaps, and outdated curb ramps. Our project manager, transportation engineer, and construction coordinator will work together and meet weekly with the Town. We will collect new traffic counts, complete design in 60 days, and guarantee zero delays while keeping access open.

Team Approach

Coordination

Schedule

Before you scan the page, predict which details will conflict with the client brief.

Read the project name inside the body paragraph.
Compare the draft schedule with the schedule requirement in the workbook.
Compare the delay promise with the workbook's writing requirement.

The Draft Falls Short on Purpose

The body says Cedar Street Safety Upgrades. The brief names Cedar Avenue Safety Improvements.

The body promises 60 days. The brief requires a 90-day design schedule.

The body says guarantee zero delays. The brief provides no support for that promise.

These visible conflicts are the intended result of this first pass.

Missing a Deliberate Problem Phrase?

Compare your body paragraph with the full-draft reference. Restore each deliberate phrase exactly before moving on.

Keep the project title at the top unchanged. Help me compare my one-pager with the required deliberately flawed draft.

You now have a realistic rushed draft with visible compliance problems. Next, you will test every claim against the brief and document your quality-control decisions.

Run a Proposal Quality-Control Pass

Your first draft gave the rough notes a client-facing shape. It also carried an inconsistent project name.

The schedule is incorrect. The guarantee is unsupported.

In Google Docs, a proposal compliance pass compares every client-facing claim with the approved brief. The brief remains the authority when a technical detail is unknown.

In this step, get ready to:

Build a nine-point quality-control checklist.
Correct the one-pager against the approved client brief.
Complete the final proofread with the unknown date flagged.

Build the quality-control checklist

A quality-control checklist turns the brief into a repeatable review gate. It keeps proofreading focused on accuracy before the page reaches a client.

Checklist Entries

correct client and project names.
all four required sections present.
plain language.
schedule matches the brief.
unsupported promises removed.
terminology consistent.
unknown facts flagged.
spelling and grammar reviewed.
one-page limit maintained.

Switch back to the Cedar Avenue Pursuit Workbook from earlier.

The empty area beneath Quality-Control Checklist is where you will track the review.

Click beneath the Quality-Control Checklist heading.
Enter the nine checklist lines shown above.

You should see nine plain lines beneath the heading.

Select the nine checklist lines.
Click the checklist control in the Google Docs toolbar.

You should now see an empty checkbox beside each review item.

Count the checkboxes beneath the heading.

The checklist should contain nine empty checkboxes. You will mark them after the page passes the review.

Checkboxes Not Appearing?

Select only the nine checklist lines before using the toolbar control.
Confirm that each checklist entry sits on its own line.
Ask for help formatting the checklist by selecting Help me format these checklist lines..

Correct the one-pager against the brief

The approved brief supplies every supported claim in the corrected page. The missing traffic-count date stays unresolved because the brief does not provide it.

Approved One-Pager Copy

Title: Cedar Avenue Safety Improvements.
Client Need: The Town of Cedar Grove is planning safety improvements along a fictional 0.8-mile corridor. The corridor includes two intersections. It also includes sidewalk gaps and outdated curb ramps. A nearby school and small businesses need continued access.
Team Approach: Harborline Engineering's project manager, transportation engineer, and construction coordinator will organize the work as one team. They will explain technical information in plain language.
Coordination: The team will meet weekly with the Town. Coordination planning will consider access for the school and small businesses. The traffic-count collection date remains to be confirmed.
Schedule: The team will follow a 90-day design schedule.

Switch back to the Cedar Avenue Client One-Pager from earlier.
Replace the visible document title with Cedar Avenue Safety Improvements.

The visible title should now match the project name in the brief.

Replace the paragraph under Client Need with the approved copy above.
Read the revised Client Need section aloud.

You should hear the corridor length plus the two intersections. You should also hear the access needs surrounding the corridor.

Replace the paragraph under Team Approach with the approved copy above.
Replace the paragraph under Coordination with the approved copy above.

The team roles should now appear under Team Approach. The weekly Town check-ins plus access planning should appear under Coordination.

Replace the paragraph under Schedule with the approved copy above.
Read the revised Schedule section aloud.

You should hear 90-day design schedule with no guarantee about delays.

Press Cmd+F (macOS) or Ctrl+F (Windows) to open the browser's find box.
Search for Cedar Street Safety Upgrades.

The search should return zero matches in the one-pager.

Replace the search text with 60 days.

The search should return zero matches.

Replace the search text with guarantee zero delays.

The final old phrase should also return zero matches.

Close the browser's find box.
Scroll to the end of the one-pager.

The response should still end on its first page.

Still Finding Old Copy?

Compare the affected section with the approved copy above.
Replace the old sentence without changing the four required headings.
Ask for help comparing the two versions by selecting Help me find the remaining mismatch..

Flag the unknown date and finish the proofread

A comment gives technical-team coordination a visible handoff point. It preserves the unknown instead of turning it into an invented commitment.

Select the sentence The traffic-count collection date remains to be confirmed.
Click Add comment in the toolbar.

You should see a comment box connected to the selected sentence.

Enter Technical-team clarification needed: confirm the traffic-count collection date before final submission.
Submit the comment from the dialog.

The comment should remain open beside the traffic-count sentence.

Click Spelling and grammar check in the top left.

Google Docs should begin reviewing the page for possible spelling or grammar changes.

Choose Change for any correction that preserves the approved meaning.
Choose Ignore for an accurate project name or technical term.

When the review finishes, the approved wording should remain intact.

Switch back to the Cedar Avenue Pursuit Workbook.
Mark all nine quality-control checkboxes as passing.

The checked list now records the compliance review. It also records the completed proofread.

Before you make the final check, which old claims do you expect to be gone from the page?

Return to the top of the Cedar Avenue Client One-Pager.
Re-read the visible title plus all four required sections.
Click the traffic-count sentence to show its open comment.

You should see Cedar Avenue Safety Improvements as the visible title. The Schedule section should state 90-day design schedule.

The four required headings should remain visible. The Coordination section should cover access for the school and small businesses.

You should find no Cedar St. or guarantee zero delays in the one-pager. The traffic-count sentence should show one open comment reading Technical-team clarification needed: confirm the traffic-count collection date before final submission.

Still Seeing a Mismatch?

Use the browser's find control to locate the old wording.
Confirm that the traffic-count sentence still has one open comment.
Ask for help with the final comparison by selecting Help me verify this quality-control pass..

That is a solid quality-control pass. Your one-pager now carries an approved message plus a documented open question.

Next, you will turn the approved message into a three-slide client briefing.

Create the Interview Presentation

Your corrected one-pager now carries an approved client-facing message. This step turns that message into a presentation you can explain under interview pressure.

Google Slides uses information hierarchy to make key points easy to scan. The workbook in Google Docs gives you a place to connect that work to a concise interview story.

In this step, get ready to:

Build exactly three slides from the corrected one-pager.
Add speaker notes that preserve the approved details.
Prepare a STAR response for a timed rehearsal.

Build the three-slide client story

Each slide should carry one part of the approved message. Short phrases keep the screen readable while your notes carry the detail.

Switch back to Cedar Avenue Interview Presentation from earlier.
Use the new-slide control in the toolbar to create exactly three slides.

You should see three slide thumbnails in the left sidebar.

Set the first slide title to 1. Client Need.
Fill the slide body with Cedar Avenue Safety Improvements plus short phrases covering the 0.8-mile corridor, two intersections, sidewalk gaps, outdated curb ramps, nearby school, and small-business access.

The first slide should present the corridor challenge without copying the full Client Need paragraph.

Set the second slide title to 2. Team Approach.
Fill the slide body with Cedar Avenue Safety Improvements plus short phrases covering the project manager, transportation engineer, construction coordinator, and plain-language communication.

The second slide should show how the team turns technical input into clear client communication.

Set the third slide title to 3. Coordination and Schedule.
Fill the slide body with Cedar Avenue Safety Improvements plus short phrases covering weekly Town coordination, school and business access, the 90-day design schedule, and the unresolved traffic-count date.

The third slide should preserve the approved schedule while keeping the unanswered traffic-count question visible.

Why use short phrases?

Short phrases help the client scan each slide while listening to your explanation.
Identical project naming keeps the presentation consistent with the corrected one-pager.
The unresolved traffic-count date shows that you flag unknown information instead of inventing it.

Add focused speaker notes

Speaker notes hold the context that would overcrowd a client-facing slide. They also give your rehearsal a clear path from problem to approach to schedule.

Select the 1. Client Need slide in the left sidebar.
Add speaker notes beneath the slide that explain the corridor challenge.

Your first set of notes should connect the corridor length with the intersections, pedestrian gaps, school, and small businesses.

Select the 2. Team Approach slide in the left sidebar.
Add speaker notes beneath the slide that explain the three team roles plus the plain-language approach.

Your second set of notes should explain how the team organizes technical information for the client.

Select the 3. Coordination and Schedule slide in the left sidebar.
Add speaker notes beneath the slide that explain the 90-day design schedule plus the unresolved traffic-count date.

Your final set of notes should keep the missing date open for technical-team confirmation.

Can't see the speaker-notes area?

The notes area may be collapsed beneath the current slide. Look along the bottom edge of the slide editor for the lower pane.

Expand that pane before adding your notes. Help me find the speaker-notes area in Google Slides.

Write your STAR response and rehearse

A STAR response turns your work into interview evidence. It links the pressure you faced with your actions plus the result you produced.

Shape your STAR response

Situation and Task: Describe receiving inconsistent technical notes under a deadline.
Action: Describe using the client brief, quality-control checklist, and technical-team comment.
Result: State that you produced a consistent one-page response plus a three-slide presentation while clearly flagging the unanswered traffic-count question.

Switch back to Cedar Avenue Pursuit Workbook from earlier.
Add a concise STAR response beneath the existing Work Log using the three parts above.

You now have an interview answer grounded in work you completed yourself. The response connects writing, quality control, coordination, and deadline management to visible results.

Presenter view places your speaker notes beside the presentation while you rehearse. A timed run checks whether the short slide phrases support a clear spoken explanation.

Before you begin, do you expect the three slides to give you enough structure to explain the quality-control process without reading from the screen?

Switch back to Cedar Avenue Interview Presentation from earlier.
Click the down arrow next to Slideshow.
Choose Presenter view.
Open Speaker notes.
Deliver all three slides once in 90 seconds without reading from the screen.
Explain the naming inconsistency, the quality-control action, and the corrected result after the final slide.

You should complete all three slides in about 90 seconds. That rehearsal proves you can present the approved message while explaining how you protected its accuracy.

Presenter view not showing your notes?

Confirm that you chose Presenter view from the down arrow beside Slideshow. Open Speaker notes inside that view.

If the notes still do not appear, return to the slide editor to confirm that each slide has notes beneath it. Help me troubleshoot missing speaker notes in Presenter view.

Secret mission

Handle a Last-Minute Client Change

Apply one approved late change across both deliverables without rebuilding them. You will document the direction, synchronize every reference, rerun quality control, and rehearse the revised presentation.

Clean Up Your Resources

Your three practice files use your existing Google Docs plus Google Slides access at no additional project charge. Choose whether to keep them ready, close the tabs for now, or move the files to Google Drive's Trash.

Resources you used:

A pursuit workbook named Cedar Avenue Pursuit Workbook containing your source material plus process record.
A client one-pager named Cedar Avenue Client One-Pager containing your corrected client-facing response.
A three-slide presentation named Cedar Avenue Interview Presentation containing your revised client briefing plus speaker notes.

Keep everything running

No action is needed. Choose this option if you are still practicing before your interview.

Leave all three practice files in Google Drive.
Review Cedar Avenue Pursuit Workbook before your interview.
Rehearse Cedar Avenue Interview Presentation when you want to practice your delivery.

Pause - I'll come back to this later

Closing the tabs ends your current practice session while preserving every file. Google saves online changes as you type.

Close the browser tab containing Cedar Avenue Pursuit Workbook.
Close the browser tab containing Cedar Avenue Client One-Pager.
Close the browser tab containing Cedar Avenue Interview Presentation.

Your files remain available in Google Drive for your next practice session.

Delete - I don't want to use this again

Deleting your work can feel drastic. Choose this option only when you are finished with the practice package.

Go to drive.google.com to locate the three practice files.
Right-click Cedar Avenue Pursuit Workbook.
Click Move to Trash.
Right-click Cedar Avenue Client One-Pager.
Click Move to Trash.
Right-click Cedar Avenue Interview Presentation.
Click Move to Trash.

All three practice files are now in Google Drive's Trash.

Nice Work!

You did it! Your finished fictional transportation pursuit package now carries one approved client message through every deliverable.

You've learned how to:

Turn rough technical notes into a polished client one-pager in Google Docs using plain language and clear information hierarchy.
Use a proposal compliance process to compare client-facing copy with its source brief. You caught inconsistent naming. You corrected the schedule. You removed an unsupported promise. You flagged an unknown date for the technical team.
Turn the approved message into a concise three-slide briefing in Google Slides. You used speaker notes to support a 90-second delivery. You also rehearsed a STAR response about writing accuracy and deadline management.
Secret Mission: Apply controlled change management after an approved project-manager update. You aligned the revised project name across both deliverables. You replaced the schedule language consistently. You documented the change in the quality-control checklist and work log.

Ready to quiz yourself?