How to Write a Great White Paper

White papers are issued by most privately held companies or bodies to discuss their products and solutions and how they tackle a problem scenario for their clients. A white paper is an official document released by a government, a company or an individual, which discusses a problem domain and provides a solution to it. The first white papers were government documents meant to discuss governmental problem scenarios and solutions to them.

What is a White Paper?

A white paper is an official document released by a government, a company or an individual, which discusses a problem domain and provides a solution to it. The first white papers were government documents meant to discuss governmental problem scenarios and solutions to them.
Nowadays, white papers are issued by most privately held companies or bodies to discuss their products and solutions and how they tackle a problem scenario for their clients.

How to Write One?

To write a white paper, one has to be very well versed with the subject, problem domain or the solution. A white paper requires considerable research, practice and knowledge of the subject, problem domain and solution. If you are considering writing a white paper about a subject, a problem domain or a solution for your company, you must have a clear idea of what message you would try to convey to the reader.

White Paper Example

Here is an example of a white paper. “Thinking Outside the Box” by Cardinal Health which talks about managing the supply chain in the Operating Room for doctors: http://www.cardinal.com/us/en/brands/presource/files/Thinking outside the box WhitePaper.pdf.

The white paper peresents a solution called Presource PBDS. Presource PBDS is a system for improving OR effectiveness. Presource™ PBDS extends the benefits of component pre-selection and customization to the entire OR procedure. The addition of a greater number of both sterile and nonsterile components further enhances benefits. Presource™ PBDS delivers these benefits using “kitting” techniques long used in other highly competitive, cost-conscious industries, including heavy and high-technology manufacturing. In these industries, as in health care, customers rely on their suppliers to provide them with the right product, at the right place, at the right time. The use of Presource™ PBDS like kitting approaches in other, nonmedical industries is growing at a rate of 40 to 50 percent per year.

 What Should a White Paper Speak About?

Describing the Present Scenario

Like the above example, you have to start with describing the present scenario. Like the present form of sourcing equipments in hospitals for OR procedures.

Introducing Your Product

Next, is to introduce your product and describe its features in details. Explain how your solution brings about a change in the present system. Presenting images and diagrams wherever required to describe the solution better.

Real World Case Studies

Provide case studies of your product being implemented with certain clients. Describe the various benefits to the clients due to implementation of the solution such as improved supply chain, ROI or cost savings. You can provide as many case studies as needed to describe the various benefits to clients.

Summarizing the Benefits

Summarize the benefits to clients based on the case studies.

Summarizing the Benefits to the Present Customer

Summarize the benefits to be received to the present customer by implementing the solution at their place.

Choosing a Template

You can choose an appropriate template for your white paper. As most white papers are eventually PDF documents, it would be sensible to choose an appropriate word template available on the internet or elsewehere. The Template should include the company logo.

Conclusion

A white paper is a document issued by a government body, a company or an individual to provide a solution for a problem domain. To write a paper, one should be well versed with the subject, problem domain and solution. You need to describe the present scenario, the proposed solution, the benefits of the solution, case studies and summarize the benefits to the present customer. There can be variations to this components as required. Papers can also be about products without having a problem domain.