1. No category

Schematic Style
Professional Reports
Hala Annabi
Ohio University
Robert Heckman
Syracuse University
2
Traditional Report Styles
• The narrative manuscript
• Memorandum
• Letter
• Automated reports
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The Trouble with Traditional Styles
Overwhelming
amount of
reading
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The Trouble with Traditional Styles
Often serves one
learning style
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An Alternative Form for Presenting
Information…
• Schematic Report Style
• It’s printed and bound like a traditional written
report
• But inside – a big difference!
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Different How?
• Present arguments in a visual and creative way
• The pages have a presentation-like style rather
than a narrative style
▫ Mix of narrative and visuals
▫ This style emphasizes pictures, tables, charts,
and images rather than relying on words alone
• The pages are produced using presentation
software such as PowerPoint
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Benefits
•
•
•
•
More concise communication
Accommodates multiple learning styles
Emphasis on the argument
Faster production
▫ less narrative text to write
▫ Less editing
• Does double duty when standup presentations
are also required
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When and where do you use Schematic
Reports?
• Research report
• Strategic market analysis
• Competitive intelligence
• Information system recommendation
• Business plan
• Proposals
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Structure
and Style
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What Are the Main Structural
Elements?
Front Matter
▫ Title page
▫ Executive Summary
▫ Table of Contents
▫ Other preliminaries –Forward, Authorizations, etc
Body
▫ Introduction
▫ Body
▫ Conclusion
Back Matter
▫ References
▫ Appendices
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What Are the Main Structural Elements
of the Body?
Front Matter
Body



Introduction
 Purpose
 Method
Body
 Analysis
 Findings
Conclusion
 Recommendations
 Conclusions
Back Matter
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Focus on the Arguments within the Body!
• Example argument structure within the body of
the report:
• We propose/conclude/recommend …
▫ Because
1. Support 1
2. Support 2
3. Support n
▫ Qualifiers
 Unless/this wont work when …
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Designing &
Creating the
Schematic
Report
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How to Design and Create?
• Style
• Format and layout
▫ Create a design template
 4 rules for design
 Navigation aids and headings
 Portrait versus landscape?
• Title Page
• Executive Summary
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Style
• Focus on graphical elements:
▫
▫
▫
▫
Tables
Charts
Images
Strong graphical design
But, do not ignore text altogether
• Every page should contain at least 25-50% text
• Narrative text font size 12 at most
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Style
• Remember: The report is intended to be read,
not listened to
• You will not be present to explain what a graph
or table means
• Thus, the report must be more explicit than
slides accompanying an oral presentation
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Style Rule of Thumb
Each slide should have:
• 25% white space
(margins)
• 25 to 50% text
• 25 to 50% graphics
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Format &
Layout
• Create a design template
• 4 rules for design
• Organization Elements
• Navigation
• Headings
• Portrait versus
landscape?
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Create the Design Template
•
•
•
•
Use the 4 Rules of Design
Make a few basic decisions and stick to them
You may use company colors and logo
Use PowerPoint to create your report
• Use one of the templates
▫ Office Button  New  Presentations  Business
 Pitchbook
• OR create your own using slide master
▫ Design  View  Slide Master
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4 Rules of Design
[adapted from Williams, 1994]
1.
2.
3.
4.
Contrast
Repetition
Alignment
Proximity
(I couldn’t think of an acronym)
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Contrast
 Adds visual interest
 Aids in organization of
information
 Create interest
 Mixture in type
The basic rule:
If two items are not exactly
the same, then make them
really different
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Repetition
• Unify
• Add visual interest
• Help readers understand
information more efficiently
• The key is consistency
• Design templates in reports
and presentations are
examples of the repetition
principle
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Alignment
Unify
Connect and Interrelate
Organize
Nothing should be placed on the
page arbitrarily
 Every element should have some
visual connection with another
element on the page




Avoid
 Using too many different alignments
on a page
 The center alignment habit
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Proximity
• Organize
• When several items are in close
proximity to one another, they
become one visual unit
• Items relating to each other
should be grouped
• Avoid too many separate
elements on a page
▫ Count visual units: 3-5
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Organization Elements
• An important aspect of the design template is an
area (or areas) designed to help the reader:
1. Assess current location
2. Easily find other locations
3. Organize the sections
• Page numbers are the simplest example
• Section numbers, headings, headers and footers
are other examples
• Navigation bar
• Fly Pages
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Navigation tools
• Help the reader navigate through the report
▫ Where you are
▫ Where you have been
▫ Where you are going
• Makes the structure clear on every page
• Navigation bar should include all level one
headings
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Rules for Headings
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Headings are NOT part of the text
Headings must never be complete sentences
Headings must be self-explanatory
Headings must be both precise and concise
Headings should not be overly fussy or cute
Headings often benefit from a different font
Headings should have parallel structure
Schematic Style
Professional
Reports
Navigation Bar
1
© Robert
Heading
Heckman
Heading 2
Navigation Bar
Heading 1
Heading 2
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Fly Out Pages: Transitions
• Fly pages create a clear break between main
sections of the report
• Provide a transition between sections
• Provide overview of the proceeding section
• Use title slides to create fly pages
▫ Same style as title page
Schematic Style
Professional
Reports
© Robert
Heckman
36
Title Pages
• The reader’s first impression –
▫ Take some time with design
• The title page provides answers to questions:
▫
▫
▫
▫
WHAT is it about?
WHO wrote it?
FOR WHOM?
WHEN?
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Title Page
• Traditional Rule: Title in
center of page
• Be sure line breaks do
not separate a group of
important words:
BAD
Successful Project
Managers: Leading Your
Team to Success
BETTER
Successful Project Managers:
Leading Your Team to Success
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Table of Contents
• Includes titles of sections and subsections
• Indicates page numbers for each section and
subsection
• Provides a visual of the structure of the report
• Helps the reader navigate the report
▫ Reader can find information quickly
Tips
• Use indentation to indicate section levels
• Use complete titles for each heading
Schematic Style
Professional
Reports
© Robert
Heckman
41
Executive Summary
• Executive Summary is NOT the introduction
• It summarizes the most important facts from
throughout the report
• It has 2 main objectives:
1. Make major points to a busy reader
2. Lure the reader into the full report
Schematic Style
Professional
Reports
© Robert
Heckman
43
Portrait and Landscape
• Portrait
▫ More familiar reading style
▫ Easier to present textual blocks
• Landscape
▫ Better for double duty (stand-up presentations)
▫ Can be better for graphical elements (e.g. complex
graphics are often horizontal)
Schematic Style
Professional
Reports
© Robert
Heckman
46
Final Thoughts
•
•
•
•
•
Think through your design
Think through your structure
Be consistent
Be professional
Schematic reports are meant to be read: explain
the take away from your graphs
• Use the template as a guide
• EDIT EDIT EDIT