Good reports deliver business value. They give decision makers the information they need to take fast, effective action and save time, effort and money.
There are three attributes to defining effective reports: Action, Stakeholder, Information:
Action: A decision or task used to manage or operate the business. A Stakeholder takes Action using Information. Actions are measurable, no matter what they are called (“objectives”, “goals”, etc.). “Be informed” is not measurable. “Describe [situation] to executives” and “Satisfy regulators” are.
Stakeholder: Someone, often a manager, who will take Action based on Information. Reports are created because the Stakeholder needs to make a decision or understand a problem. If you could automate the action it’s usually part of a process, not a report.
Information: Data, aggregated and presented in a way that answers a question. Describe only the necessary data and formulae, the way the data should be structured into groups or summaries, and the best way to deliver the data.
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