---
name: reports
description: "Write reports that get read and used: the question first, key findings with numbers, implications, evidence with headline chart titles, facts separated from interpretation, limitations and confidence stated, recommendations with owners and dates, and templates for performance, research, evaluation and project reports. Use whenever someone needs a report, monthly or quarterly performance report, research findings, analysis write-up, evaluation, audit report or end-of-project report."
license: CC-BY-4.0
metadata:
  author: Afeez Adebayo
  author_url: https://afeezadebayo.com
  author_linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afeez-adebayo/
  author_x: https://x.com/za_icon
  source: https://afeezadebayo.com/skills-md/productivity/workplace-writing/reports/
  category: productivity
  subcategory: workplace-writing
  version: "1.0.0"
  created: "2026-10-10"
  updated: "2026-10-13"
---

# Reports

Reports are written to inform decisions, yet many are read by nobody. They follow the order the work was done (method, data, then findings), bury the conclusion on page twelve, use charts without saying what they show and leave readers to work out what to do. Senior readers in particular look for the answer first and the evidence only if they doubt it.

This skill writes analytical, research, performance and project reports that lead with findings and implications, support them with clear evidence and charts that state their point, separate facts from interpretation, show limitations openly and end with recommendations and next steps. It suits monthly performance reports, research findings, evaluations, audits and end-of-project reports.

## Operating principles
1. **Answer first.** Key findings and what they mean come in the first page.
2. **Every chart has a headline.** The chart title states the point, not just the metric.
3. **Facts, interpretation and recommendation are separate.** Readers can see which is which.
4. **Show limitations.** Data gaps, sample sizes and assumptions are stated, not hidden.
5. **End with action.** Recommendations with owners and dates.

## Report types
| Type | Lead with |
|---|---|
| Performance report (monthly or quarterly) | Results against targets, what changed and why, actions |
| Research or analysis | Key findings, implications, confidence |
| Evaluation or audit | Overall judgement, main issues, recommendations |
| Project close report | Outcomes versus goals, lessons, open items |
| Market or competitor report | What changed, what it means for us, options |

## When to use, and when not to
Use it for any report with findings and recommendations, including recurring performance reports.

Don't use it for one-page decision memos (`memos-one-pagers`) or slide presentations (the Communication and Presentations skills).

## Inputs
- The question the report answers and who reads it.
- Data, analysis, research notes and sources.
- Targets or benchmarks for comparison.
- Required format, length and deadline.

## Workflow

### Step 1. Define the question
What decision or understanding the report supports, for example "Why did sign-ups fall in Q3, and what should we do?"

### Step 2. Find the answer
From the analysis, write three to five key findings, each one sentence with a number.

### Step 3. Work out implications
For each finding: so what? What does it mean for the reader?

### Step 4. Outline
Summary, findings with evidence, implications, recommendations, method and limitations, appendix.

### Step 5. Draft with evidence
Each finding gets its evidence: a chart, table or quote, with a headline that states the point.

### Step 6. Add recommendations
Specific actions with owner, date and expected effect, ranked by impact.

### Step 7. State method and limitations
Briefly: data sources, period, sample, assumptions, what the data cannot tell us.

### Step 8. Review
Check numbers against sources; test the summary with a fresh reader.

## Structure
```
1. Summary (half to one page): question, key findings, implications, recommendations
2. Findings: one section per finding with evidence
3. What it means
4. Recommendations: action | owner | date | expected effect
5. Method and limitations
6. Appendix: detailed tables, definitions, sources
```

## Chart headlines
| Weak title | Headline title |
|---|---|
| Sign-ups by month | Sign-ups fell 18% after the August pricing change |
| Support tickets Q3 | Billing questions now make up half of all tickets |
| NPS by segment | Small businesses are the least satisfied segment |

## Performance report template
```
Period: <month or quarter> | Owner: <name>
Headline: <one sentence on overall performance>
| Metric | Target | Actual | Change | Status |
What went well: <2 to 3 points>
What did not: <2 to 3 points with causes>
Actions: <owner, date>
Risks and outlook: <next period>
```

## Writing findings
| Weak | Strong |
|---|---|
| Engagement was mixed. | Weekly active users fell 9% in September, mostly among new users. |
| Costs increased. | Delivery costs rose \u00a312,000 (14%) because of the new courier contract. |
A finding states what happened, how much and, where known, why.

## Writing the summary
The summary answers four questions in half a page: What did we look at? What did we find? What does it mean? What should we do? Use numbers, avoid method detail and write it last. Many readers will read nothing else, so it must stand alone.

## Choosing charts
| Message | Chart |
|---|---|
| Change over time | Line chart |
| Comparison between groups | Bar chart, sorted |
| Part of a whole (few parts) | Stacked bar or simple table |
| Relationship between two measures | Scatter plot |
| Exact values | Table |
One message per chart; label axes and units; avoid 3D effects and unnecessary colours.

## Confidence language
| Evidence | Wording |
|---|---|
| Strong, consistent data | "The data shows..." |
| Good but limited data | "The data suggests..." |
| Early or small sample | "Early signs indicate... (sample of 40)" |
| Opinion or interpretation | "We believe... because..." |
Using consistent wording helps readers judge how much weight to give each finding.

## Recurring reports
Keep the same structure and metrics each period so readers know where to look, highlight changes since last time, and drop sections nobody uses. Ask readers once a quarter which parts help them decide and cut the rest.

## Appendices
Put detailed tables, definitions, full survey results and method notes in appendices with clear labels, so the main report stays short while specialists can still check the evidence.

## Distribution
Share the report with a short covering note: the headline finding, the decision or action needed and by when. Link to the full report rather than attaching large files, and invite questions in one place so answers reach everyone. A brief walkthrough in the next relevant meeting often helps recommendations get acted on.

## Edge cases and judgement calls
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Findings are uncertain | Give confidence levels and what would confirm them |
| Results are bad news | State them plainly with causes and a plan |
| Mixed audiences | Executive summary for leaders; detail sections for specialists |
| Very long analysis | Keep the main report short; move detail to appendices |
| Data conflicts between sources | Show both, explain the difference, choose with reasons |
| Recurring report nobody reads | Shorten to the template; ask readers what they use |

## Handoffs to related skills
- Staged writing: `writing-process`
- Summaries: `executive-summaries`
- Plain language: `plain-english`
- Feedback on drafts: `writing-feedback`
- Data analysis itself: the Data category (planned)
- Growth and marketing reports: the Growth Marketing `growth-reporting` skill

## Worked example
A quarterly customer report ran to 30 pages ordered by data source, and leaders read only the first chart. The rewrite opened with a one-page summary: three findings (churn up 2 points, concentrated in small businesses, mostly after billing problems), what they meant (about £180,000 in annual revenue at risk) and four recommendations with owners. Each finding had one chart with a headline title. Method and limitations took half a page; detailed tables moved to an appendix. Leaders discussed the recommendations in the next meeting, and two were funded.

## Common mistakes
- Method before findings.
- Charts with no stated point.
- Mixing facts and opinions.
- Hiding limitations.
- Recommendations without owners.

## Using an AI agent
The agent can draft findings from analysis outputs, write headline titles for charts, check that every number in the text matches the data, produce the summary and suggest recommendations for the user to approve. It must not invent data or overstate certainty; gaps are marked.

## Self-check before you answer
- Are key findings and implications on the first page?
- Does every chart have a headline that states the point?
- Are limitations and confidence stated?
- Do recommendations have owners and dates?

---
Created by Afeez Adebayo, Marketing, SEO & Growth Expert
Website: https://afeezadebayo.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afeez-adebayo/
X: https://x.com/za_icon
Source: https://afeezadebayo.com/skills-md/productivity/workplace-writing/reports/

Licence: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). You may copy, share and adapt this skill, including for commercial use, as long as you credit Afeez Adebayo and link to the source URL above. Keep this notice in any copy or adapted version.