Chapter 11 Reporting in the Digital Age

Chapter 11
Reporting in the Digital Age Workplace
Instructor PowerPoint Library, 9e
Guffey/Loewy, Business Communication: Process and Product, 9th Edition. © 2018 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be
scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
1

Guffey/Loewy, Business Communication: Process and Product, 9th Edition. © 2018 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not
be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Learning Outcome 1
Explain informational and analytical report functions, organizational
strategies, and writing styles as well as typical report formats.
2

The Critical Role of Efficient Reporting
• Routine reports keep managers
informed about completed tasks,
projects, and work in progress.
• Focused, in-depth reports help
executives understand the
challenges they encounter in
business.
3

The Main Purposes of Business Reports
Convey
information
Answer
questions
Solve
problems
4

Basic Report Functions (1 of 3)
Informational
reports
Analytical
reports
5

Informational Reports • Present data without analysis or
recommendations
• Are routine and often periodic
6

Analytical Reports • Provide data or findings, analyses, and
conclusions
• May also supply recommendations
• Intend to persuade readers
7

Organizational Strategies
Direct
strategy
Indirect
strategy
8

Audience Analysis and Report Organization
9

Report Writing Styles
10

Typical Report Formats
Digital (PDF files; Web-based
multimedia reports)
Infographics
Digital slide decks
E-Mail (sometimes
with memo or letter
report attached)
Forms and templates
Manuscript
11

Informal Reports–E-Mail and Digital Formats
• PDF documents are a popular
delivery format.
• Some reports are animated and
may be hyperlinked to other
content.
• Slide presentations can be
converted to video.
• Slide decks are a condensed
image-rich format not intended for
verbal delivery.
12

Informal Reports–Letter Formats (1 of 3)
Tips for Letter Reports:
• Use letter format for short,
informal reports sent to outsiders.
• Organize the facts section into
logical divisions identified by
consistent headings.
• May be delivered as a PDF file
attachment or simply within the
body of an e-mail.
13

• Single-space the body.
• Double-space between paragraphs.
• Leave two blank lines above each
side heading.
14

• Create side margins of 1 to 1¼
inches.
• Add a second-page heading, if
necessary, consisting of the
addressee’s name, the date, and the
page number.
• Follow your organization’s preferred
practices and formats.
15

Analytical Reports–Memo Formats
Tips for Memo Reports:
• Use memo format for short (ten or
fewer pages) informal reports within
an organization.
• Leave side margins of 1 to 1¼
inches.
• Sign your initials on the From line on
hard copies.
• Attach memo to a cover e-mail
(some short reports are delivered as
plain e-mails).
16

Informal Reports–E-Mail and Memo Formats
Tips for E-Mail and Memo Reports:
• Use an informal, conversational
style.
• Put recommendations first for direct
analytical reports and last for indirect
analytical reports.
17

Learning Outcome 2
Apply the 3-x-3 writing process to contemporary business reports to
create well-organized documents that show a firm grasp of audience and
purpose.
18

Applying the 3-x-3 Writing Process to Reports (1 of 2)
1. Analyze the problem and purpose.
2. Anticipate the audience and issues.
3. Prepare a work plan.
4. Conduct research.
3-x-3
19

Applying the 3-x-3 Writing Process to Reports (2 of 2)
5. Organize, analyze, interpret, and
illustrate the data.
6. Compose the first draft.
7. Edit, proofread, and evaluate.
3-x-3
20

Elements of a Work Plan for a Formal Report
Problem statement
Statement of the purpose, including
scope, limitations, and significance
Research strategy, including a
description of potential sources and
methods of collecting data
Tentative outline that factors the
problem into manageable chunks
Work schedule
21

Learning Outcome 5
Generate, use, and convert numerical data to visual aids, and create
meaningful and attractive graphics.
22

Creating Effective Visual Aids (1 of 5)
Graphics fulfill the following functions:
1. Clarify data
2. Create visual interest
3. Condense and simplify data
4. Make numerical data meaningful
23

Match the graphic to the objective:
Table
To show exact figures
and values
Bar chart
To compare related
items
24

Line chart
To demonstrate
changes in quantitative
data over time
Pie chart
To visualize a whole
unit and the proportion
of its components.
25

Flow chart
To display a process or
procedure
Organization chart
To define a hierarchy of
elements
26

Photograph, map,
illustration
To create authenticity,
to spotlight a location,
and to show an item in
use
27

End
28

Chapter 11 Reporting in the Digital Age

More Related Content

What's hot (16)

Similar to Chapter 11 Reporting in the Digital Age (20)

Recently uploaded (20)

Chapter 11 Reporting in the Digital Age