How do you write data reports that highlight key insights?

1 Know your audience

Before you start writing your data report, you need to understand who your audience is and what they expect from your report. Different audiences may have different levels of data literacy, technical expertise, and interest in your topic. Therefore, you need to tailor your report to suit their needs and preferences. For example, you may need to provide more background information, explanations, or definitions for a non-technical audience, while a technical audience may prefer more details, code, or formulas. You also need to consider the purpose and goal of your report, and how your audience will use it to make decisions or take actions.

2 Structure your report

A well-structured report helps your audience follow your logic and reasoning, and makes your key insights stand out. A typical data report consists of four main sections: introduction, methods, results, and discussion. The introduction provides the context, background, and objectives of your analysis. The methods describe the data sources, variables, tools, and techniques you used to conduct your analysis. The results present the main findings, trends, patterns, or anomalies you discovered from your data. The discussion interprets the results, explains their implications, and provides recommendations or suggestions for further actions or research.

4 Write clearly and concisely

Writing clearly and concisely is essential for communicating your key insights effectively. You want to avoid jargon, acronyms, or technical terms that may confuse or alienate your audience. You also want to use simple and direct language, short sentences, and active voice, to convey your meaning and tone. You should also proofread and edit your report to eliminate any spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors, as well as any unnecessary or redundant words or phrases. A clear and concise report will help your audience grasp your key insights quickly and accurately.

5 Summarize and highlight

A summary is a useful way to provide an overview of your report and remind your audience of your main points and conclusions. You can include a summary at the beginning or the end of your report, or both, depending on the length and complexity of your report. A summary should briefly describe the purpose, methods, results, and discussion of your report, and emphasize your key insights and recommendations. You can also use formatting techniques, such as headings, subheadings, bold, italic, or underline, to highlight the most important or relevant information in your report. A summary and highlighting will help your audience focus on your key insights and remember them better.

6 Get feedback and improve

Getting feedback is a valuable way to improve your data report and ensure that it meets the expectations and needs of your audience. You can ask for feedback from your peers, colleagues, mentors, or clients, and use their comments, suggestions, or questions to revise and refine your report. You can also use feedback tools, such as surveys, ratings, or analytics, to measure the effectiveness and impact of your report. Getting feedback and improving your report will help you enhance your data communication skills and deliver your key insights more confidently and persuasively.

7 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?