Three Kinds of Reports

Bob Jordan, PE

March 2007

In my field of engineering and business development it is always my aim to get the most value out of my own or my staff’s activities. One of the ways to best facilitate maximizing the value of these efforts is to require the publication of reports. A written report has much value, including:

• A record of activity that can be referenced next week or 10-years from now.

• Instructional information to those who did not participate in the activity.

• A document that can create new ideas or new questions (such as if there are gaps).

• A way for the writer to coalesce their information thus improving communication skills.

• A well-thought out report broadens the industry knowledge of the reader.

• Many people can see the report, thus many people get the benefit without the author having to relate all of the details to each individual person. Efficiency.

• It allows the reader to assimilate the information at their own pace, thus allowing reflection, thinking, and analysis of the contents therein.

• It gives the organization’s leadership more information from which to make sound business decisions.

• It sets the expectations such that tests, trips, and recommendations are not taken lightly but rather are approached professionally and thus are a better investment for the organization.

Every report is dated and signed by the author. The manager of the author reviews the reports first for clarity and content, and when approved the author distributes the report to the cognizant departments/individuals/senior leaders.

The three types of reports I use are: Technical Reports; Trip Reports; White Papers.

A brief description of these reports, along with their outlines, follows:

Technical Reports: A technical report is a report describing engineering tests. Testing is to be done per accepted engineering practice, using statistical analysis when applicable, and be a permanent record used to design or improve the design of products (either for performance, cost reduction, production throughput enhancement, or quality). The technical report has five principle components:

1. Introduction (or Background)

   1. Provides the reason why the testing was undertaken, e.g. evaluating a new component or assembly, troubleshooting a failed product, etc.

   2. The goal of the test, e.g. improved customer satisfaction, lower cost of production, improved design, etc.

   3. Includes the scope of the testing.

2. Materials and Methods

   1. What equipment was used in the test (brand name).

   2. How many cycles were performed.

   3. How many products were tested.

   4. Sequence of test events.

3. Results

   1. Present the data, often in tabular format (for ease of readability).

   2. Describe any anomalies in the testing.

4. Conclusions

   1. From the results of date, what are the conclusions?

5. Recommendations

   1. Based on the test results, and the overall product/business climate, what do you, the report’s author, recommend the organization do next.

   2. If there are more than one option to proceed to, state the various options.

Trip Reports: A trip report is a report describing what was observed on a trip outside of the organization. The trip report has five principle components:

1. Header (a table that includes the following)

   1. Objective of the report (if more then one, number them)

   2. Venue (city, state, location, e.g. “convention center,” “XYZ Business”)

   3. Company Personnel (who from the company went on the trip)

   4. Contacts (who were you planning to meet; name, title, phone, email)

   5. Date of Visit

2. Background

   1. Provide a paragraph on the history of the place of the visit, be it a trade show, company, test facility, etc.

   2. If this is a training event, what is the purpose of you attending?

3. Observations and Activities

   1. What did you see? Where did you go? What tests were performed? What special events took place? What did you do?

   2. If training, what did you learn?

4. Conclusions

   1. What do you concluded?

   2. Business trends?

   3. Market research?

   4. If training, what are you going to implement as a result of this training? (If nothing, then don’t expect to go to anything like this again.)

5. Recommendations

   1. Based on your observations and conclusions and with the company direction as you understand it, what do you recommend we do?

   2. Should we purchase other equipment? Should we train others in what was learned (e.g. bring the training in-house)?

White Papers: White Papers are “position” papers, that is, it is not a technical report and it is not a trip report, but it is a report, or document, that is the author’s position on a direction that the company should pursue that is different or new to what it is currently doing. White papers can be associated with desired training, desired software or test equipment purchases, facility modifications, outsourcing, etc. It is the author’s opinion, backed up with research, of a direction the company senior leadership should consider.

The White Paper has some standard sections, but the body of the report can have differing headings between different White Papers, depending on the supporting information needed for the position taken. Thus the four major parts of the White Paper are:

1. Background

   1. What is being discussed and why. Provides the reader with a paragraph-length understanding of the situation being presented

2. Analysis

   1. This part of the report can vary, and have any or multiple of the following:

                        i.      Definitions

                       ii.      Scope

                      iii.      Calculations

                      iv.      Costs

                       v.      Purposes

                      vi.      Present situation

                     vii.      Alternative solutions

                    viii.      Graphical data

                      ix.      Tabular data

3. Conclusions

   1. Based on the analysis of the business situation, technical needs, project expediency, etc., what conclusions are reached in this report.

4. Recommendations

   1. Based on the conclusions, what are the recommendations

   2. Include options if applicable.

5. Discussion

   1. White Papers should have a discussion section, where the conclusions and recommendations are discussed, advantages and disadvantages are described, and realistic gains are clearly articulated.

   2. Out-of-budget expenses if the recommendations are implemented should be addressed.

Any report is enhanced with photographs. Thus, any photographs, drawings, outlines, etc. that can be inserted throughout the body of the report is good practice. Reports should be matter-of-fact, but not sterile to the point of boredom. Add personal insights and even some humor, where tasteful and applicable, to encourage the reading of your report.

Generally a shorter report is preferred over a long report, but the length should be dictated by the results desired: others reading the report, managers using the report to make decisions, a formal record of work done so it doesn't have to be duplicated in the future, and others being educated and aware of what you did and your contributions to the health and well-being of the organization.