how to turn your expert analysis into exceptional reports

How to turn your expert analysis into exceptional documentsGary Woodward

The next 30 minutes

Engaging your readers and encouraging them to act

Presenting your information with maximum visual impact

Writing efficiently

Ask your questions in the chat box as we go along

Engaging your readers

Avoid the data dump by asking yourself• How much do they know about the subject?

• What issues most concern them?

• Which aspects of my analysis feed into those issues?

• How important is the topic to them?

• How are interested are they?

Be more selective

Writing for a varied audience?

1. Use simple language throughout

2. Summarise the key points at the start

Structuring your document for different readersA = info important for all

Main text

B = info important for some only

Appendix/attachmentBox-outChart/graphic/tableHandoutFootnote or endnote

Summarising is vital

Drafting a simple summary: answering their questions

Why am I reading this?Give the brief purpose and context

Drafting a simple summary: answering their questions

What do I need to know more than anything else?State the key messages, headlines or ‘story’ of the longer

document

Drafting a simple summary: answering their questions

What do you want from us, if anything?Be clear whether you want them to approve a course of action

or give you a decision

Writing a summary: top tips

Make it visually appealing – the more engaging the summary, the more likely they are to read the detail

Make sure it can stand alone. Does it tell a story by itself?

One page is a good length, but it can be a bit more or less than that

Presenting your research: don’t do this

Adding value to your research

Answering this question can help you move from information to insight

Moving from data to insight

A new way of presenting information?

Jon Moon

‘WiT’ – Words in Tables

(www.jmoon.co.uk)

We need to do more to promote cycling

Not enough women are cycling

Males (of all ages) make over three times as many cycle trips as females (28 to 9). Males cycle four times as many miles as females (95 to 22). 20% of men and 7% of women cycle more than twice a month.

Not enough people are cycling to work

In England and Wales, 2.8% of working residents aged 16-74 cycle to work. In Scotland, 1.4% of people in employment aged 16-74 cycle to work.

Not enough children are cycling to school

Travel by car for education contributes significantly to peak-time traffic: it is responsible for about 29% of trips between 8am and 9am, with an additional 21% escorting others to education. Around 2% of children aged 5-10 and 3% of children aged 11-15 cycle to school.

Market growth: new opportunities for 2017This is an overview of what’s going on. Here is some more text, here is some more text. Here is some more text. Here is some more text, here is.

Challenges from 2016

Infrastructure changes from 2016

Here is some more text explaining some details of the point to the left, and elaborating them. Here is some more text, here is some more text, here is some more text.

Another point This text explains the point to the left a little more. Here is some more text, here is some more text, here is some more text.Here is yet more text. And here is a figure: 0.9 per cent rise since 2014 means significant thing for point to the left that reader is interested in.

We need to consider this

This text elaborates on the thing we need to consider to the left. It doesn’t have to be long.

And also this This text also explains the headline to the left more. You can see how this is developing your line of argument in an effortless way. Here is some more text, here is some more text, here is some more text, here is some more text.

Here’s a final point

More text, you say? More text. Here is some more text. Here is some more text. Here is some more text. Here is some more text. Here is some more text.

Opportunities for 2017

We’re doing well

Here are some figures that show we’re doing well: we’ve seen a 20% increase in this abbreviation, which I will explain if I’m not sure my reader will understand why it’s relevant.

We could do better

It’s an exciting time, but we can do even better in future. We estimate that 10,000 widgets will be sold if we make the most of this opportunity, leading to over £1.2m in profit.

We have to act We cannot afford to ignore this opportunity. The public is demanding widgets, but past trends suggest the rate of growth shown in Figure 1 will not continue indefinitely.

Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug0

20406080

100120140

Figure 1: 2017 will be great

2017Diff.

Going from analysis to impact: summary1. Categorise the data somehow into two more groups

2. Summarise the content of each group with a heading

3. Put the points within each group in a logical order or hierarchy

4. If possible, add a conclusion or headline at the start of your analysis

5. Put the information into columns within a table to add further visual impact

Don’t fire blanks: be careful with bullet points1. Do you really need them?

2. Avoid long lists of them

3. Try to sort them into a logical order and groups

4. Keep each line short (put them in columns?)

5. Use for one hierarchy only

6. Number them instead – they are easier to refer back to

Let’s take one or two questions

Tables vs graphs: which should I use?

Tables vs graphs

Tables are for detailed numerical information

Graphs work better to show patterns, trends and insights

Let’s transform

your tables

Transform your tables

Top tips for terrific tables1. Put the rows and columns in a logical but reader-centred sequence

2. Remove unnecessary gridlines, especially vertical ones

3. Put the rows close together

4. Use bold and other emphasis selectively

5. Add a title and a caption

Transform your tables

Making an impact with language

Good writing is invisible

It’s time for some style techniques

Remove the mystery from your sentences

Technique one: put the main clause first

Owing to the state of China’s economy, fears over Brexit, a gloomy trade forecast and increased regulation, we recommend option one

Putting the ‘what’ before the ‘why’

We recommend option one because of:• the state of China’s economy• fears over Brexit• a gloomy trade forecast• increased regulation

Technique two: keep your ‘doing’ words doing

NounsGive consideration toMake an announcement Lead to a reduction inMake a decisionFind a solutionUndertake the implementation of

VerbsConsiderAnnounceReduceDecideSolveImplement

Verb power in action

We aim to help your company achieve reductions in costs and improvements in efficiency through the simplification of processes (19 words)

We aim to help your company reduce costs and improve efficiency by simplifying processes (14 words)

Technique three: favour the active voice

A decision will be made by the Prime Minister next week (passive – 11 words)

The Prime Minister will make a decision next week (active – 9 words)

The Prime Minister will decide next week (active – 7 words)

Think reader Ask reader-centred questions before you start. Be more selective with your information. Avoid the download.

Turn analysis into insight

Answer the ‘so what?’ question. Categorise your data. Start with your conclusion. Summarise your groupings with headings.

Add visual impact Consider using ‘WiT’. Bring your numerical tables to life. Use bold selectively for typographical contrast.

Use language efficiently

Use verbs more than nouns. Favour the active voice. Put the primary clause first.

Let’s recap

Let’s take one or two questions before closing

Thank you for joining us

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