TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. / WHY WRITE A DEcK?
II. / structuring the report
III. / ANATOMY OF A PAGE
IV. / REPORT CONTENTS

I. Why Write a deck

Why Write a Deck…

decks are more than just a way of writing a presentation

• The approach is not just a presentation format

• Serves as a tool to provide a structured and disciplined thinking process

• Focuses on delivering the right message to management

• Clarifies the issues while facilitating discussion

Why Write a Deck…

REPORT WRITING PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE THROUGHOUT THE PROBLEM-SOLVING PROCESS

·  Decks are “living” documents

- At the beginning of a project, a deck is a rough storyline

- Analysis refines/strengthens the “story”

·  Decks drive thinking and focus effort

- Frame the issues

- Test logic and completeness of analysis

- Identify areas requiring additional focus

·  Decks provide a structure for discussions

- Clearly communicate complex issues

- Outline recommendations and findings based on analysis

- Tell "the story" and build the case for change

Why Write a Deck…

GOOD REPORT WRITING EFFECTIVELY takes ACCOUNT of the AUDIENCE

•  Who is the audience?

•  What do they want/need to hear?

•  Why are they listening?

•  What is their knowledge base/position/political bias/etc.?

•  What do they need to understand/do?

•  How will they best “hear” me?

II. STRUCTURING the report

Structuring the Report …

There are three primary sections to a deck

·  Executive Summary

- Summarizes key findings and major recommendations

- Identifies work in progress and next steps

·  Main Body

- Expresses the complete logical argument and analysis

- Organizes the document into discrete modules

·  Appendices

- Provides supporting documentation not central to understanding recommendations

- Details analytical approach and detailed output

Structuring the Report …

there are four primary types of deck pages

• Title page

• Table of contents

• Section Breaks

• Report pages

each will be discussed in turn and an example provided

Document Title

Sub-heading of document if needed

Month Year

Client

Firm logo

DRAFT-CONFIDENTIAL

Table Of Contents/Section Titles

I. / Section I Title
II. / Section II Title
III. / Section Iii Title
IV. / Section Iv Title


Ghost….

Headline

·  Bullet

- Dash


II. anatomy of a report page

Anatomy of Report Page …

Report pages comprise the body of the document and communicate the project's findings to the reader

• Communicate the major findings of the project via a logical "storyline"

- Sequential pages “tell a story” (horizontal logic)

- One finding or idea is presented per page

• Are comprised of several components:

- Ghost: a pseudo-"placemarker"

- Headline: communicates the central idea

- Body: provides supporting data for the headline (bullets, dashes, tables, and graphs)

- Trailer: (should be used sparingly), completes the idea presented in the headline or serves as a segue to the next page

- Footer contains client name, page number and the filename

Anatomy of Report Page …

PAGE COMPONENTS

COMPONENT / PURPOSE / FORMAT / LOCATION
Ghost…. / ·  Used to keep reader conscious of where they are in the overall document / ·  Short phrases or clauses / Upper right-hand corner of a page
Headline / ·  Communicates the central idea of the page / • Short, but complete sentence written in the active voice / Just beneath the ghost – left justified
·  Body / ·  Provides descriptive detail to support the headline / ·  Bullets or dashes
·  Graphs
·  Tables / Follows the headline
Trailer / ·  Completes the thought presented in the headline, or
·  Transitions to the next page, or
·  Reference appendices / ·  Short but complete sentence written in the active voice / Bottom of the page
Footer / ·  Provides document control / ·  Firm logo
·  Page #
·  File Name
·  “DRAFT-COFIDENTIAL” / Bottom of the page

IV. Report Contents

Report Contents …

A HANDFUL OF TERMS DESCRIBE THE MOST IMPORTANT TOOLS AND MATERIALS FOR REPORT WRITING EFFECTIVELY

Report Writing Tool / Description
Storyline / A "mock-up" used to frame an issue by outlining preliminary understanding of causes and solutions
Story board / A “mock-up” used to set the vertical logic/supporting evidence for the deck pages
Horizontal Logic / The narrative structure and design of the document as a whole (i.e., the headlines)
Vertical Logic / Organization and presentation of bullets, dashes, or exhibits used to support a headline on a given page
Pyramid / Subordination and categorization of bullets and dashes
Contexting Clues / Verbal and graphical guides to lead the reader through the document

Report Contents …

THERE ARE TWO BASIC STRUCTURES FOR A STORYLINE


Report Contents …

A “STORYBOARD” ADDS BASIC CONTENT (VERTICAL LOGIC) TO THE STORYLINE TO HELP GUIDE TEAM DELIVERABLES

Report Contents …

GOOD WRITERS MANAGE BOTH THE “HORIZONTAL” AND “VERTICAL” ASPECTS OF THEIR WRITING SIMULTANEOUSLY

Report Contents …

horizontal and vertical logic can be used to efficiently drive work activities

• Once a preliminary understanding of a situation is attained, creating a "mockup" or a "storyboard" (a visual sketch of each page in sequence) is an effective means capturing initial hypotheses regarding causes and solutions

• Examination of the horizontal logic of the storyboard can be used to identify gaps in your understanding of the problem and/ or your line of reasoning (leading to solutions)

• Analysis of the vertical logic of individual pages is useful in planning data-gathering and analytical activities

Report Contents …

horizontal logic exists if a storyline emerges when the headlines are read in succession

Conditions Required for a Deck to Be Horizontally Logical

• There is a necessary sequence to the headlines

• The story told by the headlines leads to specific conclusions

• The story is told from a single perspective with clear transitions

Report Contents …

HEADlines MUST BE WRITTEN WITH IMPACT

•  Use active voice rather than passive

•  Deliver one thought, one thought only, and only one thought

•  Tell a story

•  Be crisp and clear: Use simple language and get to the point

•  Eliminate unnecessary words

•  Avoid jargon

•  Don’t run sentences or grammatical constructions across pages

•  However, the medium is subordinate to the message: Break these rules as needed to get your point across

Report Contents …

A page is said to be vertically logical when the information presented in the body is sufficient and necessary to support the headline

• Each page exists as a separate and independent intellectual unit (with a single thought or finding per page)

• The headline states the central finding or assertion of the page

• The information presented in the body of the page completely and relevantly supports the headline on that page

Report Contents …

Vertical logic also applies to the structuring/presentation of a page’s contents

PAGE STRUCTURE

/

GUIDELINES

Bullets/ Dashes

/

Should be:

• parallel in logic and language

• arranged into explicit categories where appropriate

• explicitly ordered

Exhibits

/

Should:

• support one message

• have titles, labels, a legend, and a source

• avoid visual clutter and eliminate excess data

• avoid distortion in scales, graphics, bars, axis length, etc

Report Contents …

simple techniques exist to test the horizontal and vertical logic of a deck

Test for Horizontal Logic

• Lay a deck on a table in fanfold fashion such that only the headlines are visible

• Read only the headlines of the deck (in succession)

• Examine the story that emerges and determine whether or not it is complete and compelling

• Modify, rearrange or add / delete pages as needed to ensure that the story being told is complete and compelling

Test for Vertical Logic

• Review a single page of the deck and examine the relationship between the headline and the information presented in the body of the page

• Qualitative data should descriptively support the headline and / or present an argument that concludes with what is presented in the headline

• Quantitative data should explicitly link to the headline, i.e. any finding presented in the headline should be explicit in or calculable from the data in the body of the page

Report Contents …

IT IS IMPORTANT TO PROVIDE THE AUDIENCE WITH CONTEXTING CLUES

•  Introduction/overview/agenda

•  Mapping pages to make the agenda explicit

•  Ghosts to guide the reader serve as accurate indicators of logical subordination