The Best Handful of Tips 67 –
Before Writing a Report
Writing a report is an opportunity to make recommendations for change.
The people who read reports are usually busy people so the layout and the way you present your findings are crucial.
Don’t rush to get started. Make a realistic plan first.
Five of the best tips before you start a report
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Obtain clear terms of reference
Find out who requested the report and the objectives before you start. Ask them why the report and what they are looking for.
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Negotiate your budget and the amount of time you have to complete the report
Decide on how best to use your time and the allocated money. You may need to reduce other activities.
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Collect as much relevant background information as possible
Check the achieves. See what others have done before you start. There is no use reinventing the wheel.
Make a list of people who should be interviewed? Make appointments and try to catch them during a period of relaxation.
4. Find out what help you can expect from other sources
Can you get permission to use colleagues and others to help you collect data?
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Plan the work to be done
Find out everything everyone else knows on the subject, then begin where they left off. You are now ready to start.
Prepare your leading questions.
Break up big activities into smaller search areas. Set a realistic timetable for each proposed task.
Make appointments to contact people you want to interview. Face to face researching is the key to good reporting.
–Geoffrey Moss
“Time is valuable to top-management so keep your reports brief, to the point , factual and easy to read.”
SOURCE: For more details on this topic read, “Persuasive Ways” published by Moss Associates Ltd, New Zealand, or the Chinese language edition by the Shanghai People’s Publishing House and in Hungarian by Bagolyvar Konyvkiado as “Getting Your Ideas Across”. It’s also published as “Secrets of Persuasion” by Cengage Learning Asia and available as an e-book from Amazon.com.
Another Handful of Tips 