Writing analytical reports

Analysts the world over are struggling to be read. They are competing with an overwhelming flow of information from news and alternate media sources. Geopolitical analysis has become the topic du jour (or even of the millennium!). Everyone is saying they also produce analysis. It has gotten to a point that no viewpoint or topic is left unexplored. Finding relevant information via the internet has become a monetised service.

In this environment, how do analysts working in in-house roles in the private sector get their analysis read? How do you get and sustain the attention of your decision-makers and change-makers? Here are some ideas.

1. The "so what"

Do you understand your company? Do you know what your company does and where it is headed? Only if you understand this, can you explain what any and all events mean for your company. The one thing that will always set you apart from the crowd is your intimate knowledge of your company. Ensure you are spending time networking exhaustively across your company. Speak to your own team, to government/corporate affairs, research and development teams, credit/market/operational/sovereign risk teams. In addition, speak to your business teams. Attend their events. Listen to the subtext of your leaders. Which locations are they interested in? Where do they see opportunity? Enable them to seize these opportunities through your analysis.

2. Partner with your partners

Don't just write analysis. Work with your physical security managers, risk managers, investigations managers, cyber security managers. There are no takers for uni-dimensional reports anymore. Contextualise your report with inside information and mitigation measures recommended by your operational teams. Solve the problem through your work. Build close partnerships so that no one's turf is threatened and everyone's work is showcased.

3. Proofread your work

Nothing is a bigger turn off than spelling, grammatical and formatting errors in documents. Use the branding preferred by your company. Customise it to the location you're writing for. Proofread your work thoroughly. Train your mind to spot errors and fix them. Pick the font size and type that your company prefers. If you don't have a standard font, use Calibri Body, size 11.

4. Structure your report to appeal to your audience

Put your bottomline upfront, preferably including the so-what. If people don't read the rest of your report, they should know the main information as soon as they read the BLUF section. Identify which bits of information will lead to further questions and make it clear that you are open to further questions. If you're working with those who appreciate visual cues, represent information graphically. Learn how to use tools creatively for visual representation; invest in acquiring this knowledge. If your executives appreciate information about what other companies feel on a subject, use industry networks to benchmark. This is an unexpected value-add for your executives, who may not have access to this type of information.

5. Make a call

Ensure you're taking a position in your report. Open-ended reports are not useful. Most analytical reports tend to remain the safe space these days and do not venture outside the confines of the status quo or consensus assessment. This has led to many recent catastrophically incorrect analytical reports. Use your analysis to prop up all the theories and scenarios that could transpire and challenge yourself before you frame your report.