Types of Organizational Arrangements

Types of Organizational Patterns

Before I jump into the different organizational patterns it's important that you have a good understanding of who who your audience is. Once you are clear on your audience, you can then select a pattern that your audience can easily follow.

The four basic organization patterns are topical, chronological, spatial, and cause and effect patterns.
There are others, but the main focus will be on these four.

This is a topical solution not a topical pattern

Topical Pattern: used to stress natural divisions or categories in a topic. Don't confuse this with a topical solution like Rogaine that is used for hair regrowth.
This type of speech gives you the greatest freedom to structure.
A speech organized topically has main points organized more randomly by sub-topics. Let's say you are giving a speech about enrolling in Professor Dalley's speech class. The first main point discusses teaching style; the second main point discusses work load; the third main point discusses application of information learned. In this format, you discuss main points in a more random order that labels specific aspects of the topic and addresses them in separate categories. Most speeches that are not organized chronologically, spatially, or causally are organized topically.

Chronological Pattern: used to describe a series of developments in time or a set of actions occurring sequentially.
A speech organized chronologically has main points oriented toward time. For example, say you were giving a speech on dressing for success, you would the have main points organized chronologically. The first main point focuses on selecting the right outfit for the occasion; the second main point focuses how to put on the clothes you picked out; the third point focuses on adding accessories to enhance your attire. In this format, you discuss main points in an order that could be followed on a calendar or a clock.

Spatial Pattern: used to emphasize physical arrangement.
A speech organized spatially has main points oriented toward space or a directional pattern. Let's say you are giving a speech on a large national company called Dizzle Corp. The first main point discusses the New York branch of the organization; the second main point discusses the Midwest branch; the third main point discusses the California branch. In this format, you discuss main points in an order that could be traced on a map.

Cause-Effect Pattern: used to demonstrate a topic in terms of its underlying causes or effects.
An example of a causal speech would look something like this. Let's say you are giving a speech about government welfare. The first main point would inform about the problems of the welfare system and the need for monetary assistance; the second main point discusses additional welfare projects and how they are draining the tax payer. In this format, you discuss main points in an order that alerts the audience to a problem or circumstance and then tells the audience what action resulted from the original circumstance.

Other Organizational Arrangements

Monroe's Motivated Sequence: used to motivate and/or give a call to action.
Comparative Advantage Pattern: used to show the advantage of one viewpoint over another.
Refutation Pattern: used to disprove an opposing claim to your position.
Problem-Solution Pattern: used to demonstrate a problem and then provide justification for a solution.
Narrative Pattern: used to convey speech  ideas through a story.
Circular Pattern: used to demonstrate how each speech idea builds on the previous idea and in turn supports the main thesis.

Whatever format you decide, you want to make sure it flows well and follows the checklists provided in Lesson 11 and uses good transitional statements. 

Above all, you need to make sure that the organization arrangement is a good fit for the audience.

How would you handle this audience?