Report writing
THOUGHT
Most people in knowledge work have written a few reports in their lives. Most people in the knowledge workspace have had to read reports. Most people probably think the reports they read are too long and don’t clearly state the point.
There are some good and useful reports out there. Sometimes, in amongst the many that are too long, too rambling, and too incoherent, there’s a good one. Though that is rare.
What makes a good report? What are the criteria for a technical or knowledge-based report that is easy to read, engaging, thought-provoking and useful?
EVIDENCE
Through our schooling years, most of us learned how to write essays, book reviews, short fiction and journalism type reports. I remember assignments in all of those categories, all through my English classes right up until the second year of my engineering degree. And then, we didn’t need to take English or Arts courses anymore; it was technical all the way. And yet, all through the remaining years of the degree, we students were all furiously writing reports and presenting information — as would be the case throughout most of our careers.
I’ve been ever thankful that I grew up in a family of teachers, and that my mother was an English teacher herself. I know that gave me a distinct advantage in my ability to put words and paragraphs together.
Having said that, even I have put together tedious, exasperating and rambling reports. There’s no doubt about it. I can only say that each time I sit down to write a technical report, I try to make it better than the last one.
REALISATION
There’s a skill and a practice associated with report writing. It’s not something that comes particularly easy to very many people.
There are plenty of outlines and guidelines available online, providing guidance on the ‘how to’. Googling ‘report writing’ provides no shortage of succinct suggestions, listicles, and, surprisingly useful, are the university sites that outline what makes a good report. So gaining the knowledge is not a barrier to success here.
The only way to improve the skill of report writing, however, is through repetition. And that’s not something anyone is keen to hear: you need to write more reports.
In addition to the knowledge and the skills, is the exposure to other reports and types of presentation of information. Surrounding yourself with examples of good reports will help build your own skills and knowledge.
TAKE AWAY
Long and tedious reports generally have too much detail and too many filler words, which tend to hide the important points and useful information.
The thing is, it’s easy to give advice on how to write reports, but it’s all generic until you have to sit down to actually do it. Like many things, reading about how to do it is only part of the equation: you also must do the activity, and you also must do it more than once to experience any improvements.
Being able to write a good report is a skill worth having.
