An unfortunate reality is that we do judge books by their covers.

A high-quality but poorly presented report can sometimes fail to convince decision-makers. After all, we have all been taken in at some stage by something flashy and shiny with no substance.

A convincing business case (or any report) relies on more than just good analysis – how it is presented is just as likely to define its chances of success.

In the last topic, we proposed some questions you should ask yourself before you commence writing.

These questions are intended to put you in the mind of the reader. As a rule, people who read reports:

• Are busy
• See multiple reports
• Won’t read every word
• Make multiple decisions
• Will take credit for those decisions, and
• Blame you when it all goes wrong.

Well, that last point is probably a bit facetious; however, as well as being accountable for what you write – especially in your recommendations – you should consider how to capture and hold readers’ attention.

To ensure your report is reader-friendly, you should:

• Use headings and sub-headings
• Use plenty of white space to make the separate parts of your report stand out clearly
• Use dot points/ numbers/ letters to articulate these elements
• Use tables and figures (such as graphs, illustrations, and maps) for clarification. Label them clearly and cite the source.
• Number each page (a neat header and footer make your work look more professional), and
• Use consistent and appropriate formatting.

If your organization does not have its own templates or style guides, try following one of the report formats or themes supplied in your software!

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Dos and don’ts

An effective report presents and analyses facts and evidence relevant to the specific problem or issue of the brief.

Although they are formally written, reports should avoid using overly complicated language.

If a report is to persuade, inform, or justify – as a business case is expected to – its message must be clear.

Furthermore, the factual presentation of data should not be swamped with sophisticated, lengthy sentences.

Avoid unnecessary jargon – this confuses even the most informed reader – and ensure that your abbreviations are standardized.

You should also avoid the use of subjective language

For example, to propose a change in color from ‘… a stunning green to a brilliant blue,’ is to project your own values onto a measurable outcome.

What does ‘beautiful’ mean to you? Will it mean the same thing to your reader?

Such subjective or personal language commonly has no place in the more objective discipline of report writing.

It may be worth having a look at the language that is used in other similar reports to check out useful expressions and terms.

Other common problems with report writing that you should take care to avoid include:

• Careless, inaccurate, or conflicting information
• Outdated or irrelevant data
• Facts and opinions that are not separated
• Unsupported conclusions and/or recommendations
• Careless presentation and proofreading, and
• Too much emphasis on appearance and not enough attention to solid content.

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Here are our top 10 tips and tricks to get your report-writing flowing.