RDC 003 – Technical Report Writing

• Roots of Communication:

üReader Requirements

üMessage To Be Shared

üContext of Situation

• Reader Requirements:

üIdentifying your reader context with respect to their expertise and point of view

üMatching your reader’s requirements to your requirements as a writer

üThe importance of identifying assumptions

üReport Key Performance Indicators(KPI)

Learning Outcome:

• Participants should be aware that their viewpoint may not match their reader’s viewpoint.

Activity:

• Exercise on Matching Reader Requirements

• Report Types
• Report Components

üIntroductions, Titles, Backgrounds

üAnalysis, Conclusions, Recommendations

üAppendices, Executive Summaries

Learning Outcome:

• Participants should be able to understand the use of the standard report components, and how they fit into the overall flow of the report.

Activity:

• Exercise on How Title, Introduction and Background Introduce Readers To A Report

• The 3 stage writing cycle of planning, writing and checking reports.
• Developing The Report Body

üDeveloping Main Report Body

• Previewing Report Sections
• Concluding Report Sections
• Developing Section Conclusions

Learning Outcome:

• Participants should be able to develop a report body that is organized logically and systematically, to match the report objectives.

Activity:

• Exercise on Writing Report Body Sections & Conclusions

• Common Writing Tools

üVisual Structuring

• Bullets
• Lists
• Numbers
• Managing Visuals – Graphs and Tables
• Layering Tools for Technical & Non-Technical Readers

üManaging Jargon & Acronyms

üSharing Technical Concepts With Readers

• Glossary of Terms
• Integrating Explanation of Concepts With Appendices
• Create Audience Specific Sections

Learning Outcome:

• Participants should be able to select the appropriate writing or layering tool to use, in order to convey their findings as accurately as possible to both technical and non-technical readers.

Activity:

• Exercise on Report Layering

• Reader Expectations of Conclusions and Recommendations

üThe Difference Between Conclusions and Recommendations

üDevelopment of Conclusions

üDevelopment of Recommendations

Learning Outcome:

• Participants should be clear about what readers expect from conclusions and recommendations, and the differences between the two.

Activity:

• Exercise on Conclusions and Recommendations

• Development of Recommendations

üCritical Analysis of Potential Solutions/Recommendations

üDecision Making Tools to Select the Optimal Recommendation

üPresenting Recommendations with Justifications

üPresenting Risks Associated with Recommendations

Learning Outcome:

• Participants should be able to understand the unique requirements of recommendations, and use critical thinking and decision making tools to select the best possible recommendation, and present it persuasively to decision makers.

Activity:

• Exercise on Selecting the Optimal Recommendation

• Executive Summary

üDecision Making Tool for Top Management

üContent and Organization

üDifferences Between Summaries and Abstracts

Learning Outcome:

• Participants should be able to write an executive summary which enables a decision maker to make a well informed decision about the recommendations made in a report.

Activity:

• Exercise on Writing an Executive Summary.

• Completing The Report

üReview Findings Against Report Objectives

üReview Audience Specific Sections Against Target Reader Profile

üCheck Report KPIs

Learning Outcome:

• Participants should be able to verify that the report objectives are addressed with respect to all targeted readers.