How do you communicate your findings and recommendations to non-technical audiences?

Ensure you have definitions for any technical terms, remember the average reading age of a jury and adjust your report from there. Remember to ensure your report is accessible to all abilities.

Digital investigations are frequently used in support of corporate information security incidents. Those cases get trickier by the day, since the internal audience widens as the cyber field matures. For example, a forensic report may need to be adjusted for the privacy team who cares about personal information (PII), the legal team who will look at contractual obligations and compliance, the insurance team who will seek to understand if the incident response work and damages are covered, the cyber threat intelligence (CTI) team who tries to do attribution, as well as the senior management and board who care about the company’s reputation and ROI on cyber improvement projects. Consequently a forensic report will be challenged in many angles.

Absolutely, imperetive to understand your audience as this will help you tailor your communication to their needs and abilities. Consider their roles, responsibilities, and the context in which they will be receiving the information.

The ability to communicate the most complex topic in the simplest way proves the prowess of an expert. It is not the scientific theory or the complicated multi-leveled architecture that makes people understand what they actually wish to know. Stepping down the level of complexity of these technicalities, depending on the level of expertise of the audience, in order to make the idea reach the person on the other end, truly is an art of its kind.

Simple, showcase them the proof of concept instead of explaining the concept in theory. Once they see the proof, they will understand and believe it. Non technical people will not understand your technical words. Infact all your technical language will make your conversation harder. Simply present the evidence or proof of concept and whatever steps your are carrying out during your presentation try to explain them in simple words.

Avoid technical jargon and complex terminology. Use plain language to explain your findings and recommendations. Break down complicated concepts into simple, everyday terms. Focus on the core message and avoid unnecessary details. Providing clear, straightforward explanations helps non-technical audiences understand the significance of your findings and the actions you recommend, making the information more accessible and actionable.

Use plain language and avoid jargon when communicating with non-technical audiences. Replace technical terms with simple explanations. For instance, instead of saying "SQL injection vulnerability," you might say "a security weakness that allows attackers to access and manipulate the database." This ensures clarity and understanding.

In my experience of preparing technical reports for court it has helpful to use and briefly explain a technical term before using it as an acronym. As simple as this sounds, it can prevent any ambiguity and help to ensure that your audience is not overwhelmed with acronyms. Assume your audience does not understand technical acronyms like IPv4, IPv6, RDP, NTFS, FAT, SFTP etc. For example: "Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) is a technical standard for accessing and using a desktop computer remotely".

Structure your communication logically, starting with a brief summary of the key points. Use headings, bullet points, and concise paragraphs to make the content easy to follow. Begin with the most important information and gradually delve into supporting details. This approach helps non-technical audiences quickly grasp the main ideas and follow the flow of your argument without getting lost in excessive details.

Structure your content logically, starting with a summary of key findings and recommendations. Use headings and bullet points to break up information and make it easier to follow. For example, begin with an executive summary, followed by sections on findings, impacts, and recommendations, ensuring a clear and organized presentation.

Tener en consideración que la forma en qué comunicamos también puede sesgar el entendimiento por parte del recepto de nuestro reporte. Utilizá con mucho cuidado qué resaltar y/o destacar, porque como investigador forense siempre hay que ser objetivo, imparcial y solo describir los hechos, no emitir juicios de valor. Realizar una visualización objetivo es todo un desafío. Por eso, recomiendo tratar de usar la gama de grises, blancos y negros para comunicar y no exagerar la forma en qué detallamos los hallazgos.

Incorporate charts, graphs, infographics, and other visual elements to illustrate your points. Visual aids can make complex data more understandable and highlight key trends and patterns. Ensure that your visuals are clear, well-labeled, and directly related to the content. Effective visualizations can enhance comprehension and retention, making your findings more impactful for non-technical audiences.

A great rule of thumb when preparing visual aids is to keep it digestible. We all have participated in more than presentation that lived up to the “death by PowerPoint” stigma. Do not exhaust your audience with a dissertation-worth of information. Allow the presentation to highlight key words or concepts in short form. Use your voice to present the bulk of the information in audio form. Simplified bar & pie charts add to the visual aid. Your presentation should have a flair respective of your audience. Sometimes bubbly presentations work for the audience. For others, it may require you to tone it down and only present the statistics while using the company approved theme.

Visual aids like charts, graphs, and diagrams can help illustrate complex concepts. For example, a pie chart showing the distribution of different types of security vulnerabilities can be more impactful than a list of numbers. Visuals make data more accessible and help audiences grasp the significance of your findings quickly.

Encourage questions and feedback to create an interactive dialogue. Use storytelling techniques to make your findings more engaging and memorable. Relate the information to real-world scenarios or business outcomes to highlight its relevance. By actively involving your audience, you can maintain their interest and ensure that they fully understand and appreciate the significance of your recommendations.

Engage your audience by asking questions, encouraging participation, and using relatable examples. For example, illustrate a security breach scenario with a hypothetical situation that your audience can relate to. Interactive elements and real-life analogies make the information more engaging and memorable.

Be mindful of cultural and contextual differences that might affect how your message is received. Tailor your communication style to fit the norms and expectations of your audience. Additionally, follow up with written summaries or reports that they can review at their own pace. Providing supplementary materials reinforces your key points and allows your audience to revisit the information as needed, ensuring a lasting impact.

Ideally, have court presentation skills training in your training and competency records. This type of training is the 'only' specifically named type of training in any of the accreditation standards (ILAC/G19:2022. Clause: 3.3 Competence - "Where necessary, training programs should also include training in the presentation of evidence in court".

Consider the follow-up and provide clear action steps. Offer to provide additional resources or answer questions after the presentation. For example, include a summary handout with key points and recommendations, and offer your contact information for further inquiries. Ensuring ongoing support helps reinforce your message and encourages action based on your findings.