The summary.
CHOOSE THE FORM BY THE MESSAGE
Line for change over time, bar for comparing categories, text for a single important figure.
Pie charts with many segments fail because people compare angles badly.
USE THE FINDING AS THE TITLE
"Revenue fell in the second half" communicates. "Revenue by month" merely describes.
LEAD WITH THE FINDING AND THE RECOMMENDATION
Not the method. Most readers read the first paragraph and stop.
One page, for most business reporting.
EVERY FIGURE NEEDS A COMPARISON
A number with nothing to compare against says nothing.
And every report needs a conclusion and a decision, or the effort was wasted.
WHAT MISLEADS WITHOUT ANYONE INTENDING IT
Truncated value axes, selected periods, percentages without the base figure, and averages without the spread.
Ask whether someone reaching the opposite conclusion would consider your presentation fair.
REPORT THE INCONVENIENT FINDINGS
A report that only ever brings good news is not trusted, and not acted on.
KEEP DEFINITIONS IDENTICAL BETWEEN PERIODS
Changing one quietly makes your history incomparable. If you must, restate the history.
