The 4 Vital Parts of a Project Report

Writing a project report can seem like peering through the morning fog, into the unknown with no sense of direction.

But there is a standard structure which, if followed, can pierce the veil and reveal the road to the destination.

A project report has a 5 part structure:

1. Executive Summary
2. Introduction
3. Main Body
   • Statement of Problem
   • Description of the Existing Situation
   • Analysis of Options
   • Description of Potential Solution
   • Benefits of Recommended Solution
4. Conclusion

Executive Summary

Almost every project has stakeholders that don’t have time to read the entire report.  For this reason, the executive summary is intended to convey the important information quickly without burdening readers with the small details.

Hence, the executive summary captures the essence of the report.  It summarizes everything without focusing specifically on any one part.  That is, it includes the background, analysis, and conclusions.

Introduction

Some people have a highly engaged audience for their project report.  If that’s you, then excellent.  But the reality is that most project reports are submitted to an apathetic audience and you need to make sure the main conclusion is communicated for maximum retention by telling it to them three times:

1. Tell them what you’re going to say
2. Say it
3. Tell them what you just said

Hence, the introduction serves to tell them what you’re going to say in the future (the body).  This can often come in the form of a purpose statement:

The purpose of this report is to prove that zebras and orangutans can live in complete harmony.

Introductions are the part of the report that generates interest in the report and makes the reader want to read it.  A strong introduction has the following 5 parts:

1. Identify the topic.
2. Start broader (more general) to provide context and then narrow the focus into the topic.
3. Use analogies and stories:
   • Analogies are comparisons, for example:

     Project specifications are like a complex labyrinth requiring many hours of frustrating investigation.

   • Stories are personal experiences, for example:

     I was once involved with an organization that created an amazing experience for a group of people.

4. Demonstrate the importance of the topic.  This can be done by stating the effect that the topic has on people or organizations, or by quoting an alarming statistic.  For example,

   This disease is a significant concern in our geographic area.  As many as 30% of adults will contract this disease before the age of 70.

5. A good length for an introduction is about 10% of the report, that is, about one page long for a ten page report, but it can vary quite a bit depending on whether its aims have been accomplished.

Main Body

The main body is where the contents and essence of the report are told.

There is a standard structure for a project report.  If the report does not follow this structure, it can feel like an unorganized hodgepodge that doesn’t communicate the core message very well.

These five components of a project report should be present, in this order:

1. Statement of Problem / Topic
   Unlike fiction novels, most project reports present a solution to a problem or the presentation of a topic.  Hence, stating the problem/topic directly gives the report direction and structure, and its importance cannot be overstated.  The problem or topic should be succinct and clearly articulated, and then elaborated on to ensure it is understood.
2. Description of the Existing Situation
   Everything exists in a context.  Describing that context is essential to ensuring that readers are left with a thorough understanding of the topic.  After stating and describing the problem or topic, the environment surrounding the problem or topic must be addressed.  The environmental factors that currently affect the problem/topic give the audience a crucial worldview that allows them to understand the contents of the report.  The current circumstances and the geography around the topic prior to this report are provided in detail.  What do people/organizations do right now, and why is this a problem?
3. Analysis of Options
   Every problem contains options, even if one of them is more obvious than the others, and addressing the competing options provides confidence in the conclusions of the report.  It is often a good idea to analyze and describe each possible solution and provide the pros and cons.  Maybe there is a cost to consider, in which case there could be a trade off between cost and quality.
4. Description of Potential Solution
   In this section the recommended solution to the problem, or the topic, is described in exhaustive detail.  This is the part where each component of the solution is outlined and communicated to the audience.  The operation and maintenance, the short term and long term, the front, back, and sides, and the quality of the solution are all considered.
5. Benefits of Recommended Solution
   After the main description of the solution and/or topic, it is important to spend some time talking about why the solution is the right one, or what benefits the topic has for people.  After all, if there are no benefits for people there is no meaning for the report.  Who does the report benefit, and how does it benefit them?  What are some of the drawbacks and/or trade-offs of that benefit?

Conclusion

The conclusion’s purpose is to ensure that the audience remembers the information presented in it.  For that reason, the only structurally important characteristic of a conclusion is to communicate the report’s main purpose and final recommendation.  Maybe there is a course of action associated with it.  As described above, readers must be reminded of the conclusion so that less engaged readers more readily remember it.

But the conclusion also starts narrow and broadens back out, opposite of the introduction.

Here are a few tips to make that transition:

• Connect back to the introduction via the analogy or story that was used at the beginning of the report
• Use a quotation, statistic, fact, or visual image
• Describe the effect of the problem / topic in the outside world
• Mention potential follow up topics or reports

Hopefully that clears up the clouds and puts you on the road to success.  Project reports don’t have to be intimidating, and a clear structure and format will ensure your report knocks their socks off.