What techniques can you use to write easy-to-read reports?

Always know your audience. When communicating with decision makers via email, I use a formate that I learned in the military called, Bottom Line Up Front or BLUF. This saves the CEO time by quickly understanding the scope and intent of your report, as most CEOs are already read into most initiatives and extremely pressed for time…especially for checking emails. After they read you BLUF, they can choose to read more or your report if needed. The BLUF should be a concise as possible, maybe 1-2 sentences at the beginning of your email. Your leadership should appreciate your communication delivery. After all communication is the sharing of information and it is both an art and a science. Cheers, ~Philip K.

Using simple language, dividing the report into sections and using headings, bullet points and visual aids, formatting and proofreading will significantly improve the readability of a report. The most crucial part of crafting a readable report is always paying attention to the reader’s preferences. Taking note of the reader’s preference can help increase the probability of the reader investing time, understanding and finding value in the report.

When preparing a report, it's essential to analyze your audience and consider their level of understanding. To make your report easy to understand, follow these steps - Use simple language and avoid complex jargon. - Break down long paragraphs into shorter ones using bullet points, numbered lists, and tables. - Add visuals such as graphs or images to illustrate your points. - Keep sentences short and to the point. - Use easy-to-understand words and try to avoid complex technical terms. - Use headings and subheadings to organize your report. - Ensure that your report is well-structured and easy to follow.

Communicate effectively and accurately with simple language, and avoid jargon, slang, or unnecessary words that may confuse or distract your reader. You should also use active voice, which makes your sentences more direct and engaging. Straight to the point always.

The introduction should provide the background, context, and purpose of your report, and state your main purpose of the report. The body should present your arguments, evidence, or findings in a clear and analytical order, using headers and subheadings to divide your report into paragraphs and subsections. The conclusion should outline your main points, rephrase your thesis, and provide recommendations or importance for action.

Use visual aids sparingly and strategically, and make sure they are relevant, precise, and uniform with your text. You should also mark them clearly, provide captions or legends to illustrate them, and refer to them in your text.

As with any piece of writing, when you've finished your draft, set it aside, and edit the next day. Try to remove one third of the words (but none of the content). Then edit again the next day, or - even better, if your deadlines allow - after two or three days. At this stage, consider carefully the order of the contents, and reorder where appropriate. If you reorder extensively, you may need to edit again the next day. Finally, on a new day, proofread the report, scrutinising carefully for spelling and grammar. The result will be punchy, well organised, and clear.

The report should be clear, coherent, and convincing. Proofreading involves checking and correcting your grammar, spelling, punctuation, and formatting to ensure your report is error-free and professional. You should edit and proofread your report several times, using tools such as spell checkers, grammar checkers, or readability checkers to help you. You should also ask someone else to read your report and give you feedback, as you may miss something and they will see it.

obey the guidelines and expectations of your organization, industry, or field when writing your report. There are various types of reports with different formats, standards, or conventions that you need to adhere to. For example, if you are writing a MOC - management of change report, you need to follow the structure (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion), use sources and references according to a specific technique, and use objective and precise terminology. You should also check the requirements and priorities of your audience, such as the length, tone, or level of detail of your report, and adjust your writing accordingly.

Reports benefit greatly from presentation which divides the information into easily consumable chunks. They could be: ● bullet points, ● boxes which each contain a focussed sentence or two, ● longer text separated by multiple sub-heads, or ● some other technique which makes each idea easy to understand and consume. Think of it as making the meal you're serving easier to digest.