How do you create a performance report that speaks to everyone?

1 Know your purpose

Before you start writing your performance report, you need to define the purpose of your report. What are you trying to achieve with your report? What are the main messages you want to convey? How do you want your audience to react or respond to your report? Your purpose will guide your tone, style, format, and content of your report. For example, if your purpose is to inform your client about the status of your project, you might use a formal and factual tone, a standard template, and a summary of the key performance indicators (KPIs), milestones, issues, and actions. If your purpose is to motivate your team to improve their performance, you might use a positive and encouraging tone, a creative layout, and a mix of quantitative and qualitative data, feedback, and recognition.

2 Know your audience

Another important factor to consider when creating your performance report is your audience. Who are you writing for? What are their needs, interests, and preferences? How familiar are they with your project, your terminology, and your metrics? How much detail do they need or want? Your audience will influence your level of detail, language, and visual aids in your report. For example, if your audience is a senior executive who only has a few minutes to read your report, you might use a high-level overview, simple and clear language, and charts or graphs to highlight the main points. If your audience is a technical expert who wants to dig deeper into your data, you might use a detailed analysis, specific and accurate terms, and tables or figures to show the evidence.

3 Structure your report

When you have a clear understanding of your purpose and audience, you can begin structuring your report. A well-organized performance report should have a logical flow that helps your audience follow the story and comprehend the results. A typical structure for a performance report includes an introduction, a performance summary, a performance analysis, performance recommendations, and a conclusion. In the introduction, provide some background information on the project scope, objectives, and timeline. Explain the purpose of the report and what it will cover. The performance summary should give an overview of your performance against planned or expected outcomes such as KPIs, deliverables, budget, schedule, quality, and customer satisfaction. Utilize quantitative and qualitative data to back up your claims and emphasize any variances or trends. Visual aids like charts, graphs, or dashboards can make the data easier to comprehend. The performance analysis should explain the reasons behind your performance - both positive and negative - by identifying factors that influenced it such as risks, issues, changes, assumptions, dependencies, or opportunities. Use root cause analysis or SWOT analysis to give evidence and insights for your analysis. The performance recommendations should provide suggestions or actions to enhance or maintain your performance or address any gaps or challenges. Align them with objectives, scope, and constraints; specify who is responsible; what is needed; when is the deadline; and how to measure success. In the conclusion summarize main points of the report and restate your purpose and message. Highlight the value and advantages of your performance; thank your audience for their attention and support; invite them to give feedback or take action.

4 Write clearly and concisely

When writing your performance report, you should aim to be clear and concise. This means using simple and direct language, avoiding jargon and acronyms, and explaining any technical terms or concepts. It also means using short and active sentences, avoiding repetition and filler words, and using transitions and headings to connect and organize your ideas. A clear and concise performance report will help your audience understand your message and avoid confusion or misunderstanding.

5 Edit and proofread your report

Before you send or present your performance report, you should always edit and proofread your report. Editing involves checking your content, structure, and style for clarity, consistency, and accuracy. Proofreading involves checking your grammar, spelling, punctuation, and formatting for errors and typos. Editing and proofreading your report will help you improve the quality and credibility of your report, and show your professionalism and attention to detail.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?