Executive Summary or Introduction
What's the difference?
Many readers will only read your executive summary. It’s important you get it right!
But how do you distinguish it from the introduction to your report?
How they differ
An executive summary is a concise summary of the content of your report. It includes the purpose of the report, main points, and conclusions or recommendations. The reader should understand what the report is about in no more than two pages.
Executive leaders love them! Even if they read nothing else, they can get enough to speak on the topic and make decisions.
An introduction leads the reader into the report. It explains why the report was written, and typically includes some background context. Unlike an executive summary, it can’t stand alone: the reader can’t understand the entirety of the report by reading it.
You can be creative in the introduction to set the tone and establish the storyline.
Policy analysts comb over these!
How to write an executive summary
Since it has to stand alone, you must provide a complete, yet brief, synopsis of the report that follows with the purpose, the methods used, the key points derived from the analysis, and the recommendations or conclusions.
Introduce what it’s about and what you’re going to cover. What’s the purpose of the report?
Briefly summarize the background research that was done to inform the analysis.
Bring forward the key points. Write a brief, concise statement for each. Follow up with some detail, if it adds value to the reader. Ask yourself if it provides new information, a new perspective, or something else that will help their decision making.
Summarize the recommendations or conclusion.
Style tips:
Be focused and keep it simple.
Try to keep it to one page.
Only write it after you’ve completed the main body of the report.
Use subheadings to break up dense text.
Be positive – no one likes a negative storyline. Rather than starting with what can’t happen, or what went sideways in the planning process, emphasize what can be done. This is not to suggest throwing a blanket over the complexities: these should be obvious to your reader; but even a bad news story can be presented with solutions. (The GenX-er in me hates this, but it’s true. We have emotional reactions to things we read; you don’t want your reader to get impatient or frustrated: they will stop reading!)
Give a draft to a colleague. Do they get the whole picture after reading it once?
Build a collection of executive summaries that you feel are successful. I’m not suggesting you reinvent the wheel – use what you’ve got!
What can you exclude?
In an executive summary, leave out:
References: Endnotes or footnotes.
Visual elements: Tables, charts, photos, illustrations, maps, etc.
Filler words: No one has time to read your full text. Get rid of excess words that don’t add value.
Any “extra” information: Provide only what’s in the report itself.
While an executive summary isn’t always needed, I do recommend it, particularly for those busy decision makers who won’t read a whole report. It’s a concise snapshot of everything that follows.
An introduction, on the other hand, is always needed. It’s like a roadmap that helps the reader situate themselves, plan their route, and get to the end without getting lost.
How to write an introduction
You can be a bit more creative with an introduction. It should be an engaging, interesting launch for your report. You can get into the background here: set the stage for what follows. In some cases, this might mean you get into some history, if it’s relevant.
Like an executive summary, start with a clear statement of purpose. Follow with the vision and/or goals, and a description of the structure of the report (e.g., “how to read”). Provide a concise description of the direction you’re going in, a summary of your main arguments; and that there was a methodology, findings, and recommendations – but don’t go into too much detail. All of this follows soon after in the main body of the report.
Introduce the report and welcome the reader in. This is a good place to establish the voice and tone: Is it formal and neutral? Friendly and accessible? It depends, in part, on who you think your main reader is going to be.
Describe the purpose, goals, or challenges you are seeking to solve, and give some sense of where the report will take the reader.
Provide background detail, in context. If it’s about a specific site, describe it’s prior uses. If it’s about a policy change, discuss why it’s of interest now.
Describe the research that was done to inform the analysis and recommendations. Were there community consultations? Technical studies? Data derived from particular sources?
Close to the end of the introduction, describe the structure of the report, particularly if it’s very long or complex.
End with a short, high-level summary of the recommendations or conclusions.
The plain language editor in me wants to flip the list above to put the recommendations/conclusion first. It can work in some cases, with some audiences. Try it!
Style tips:
Focus on telling a good story. Establish the narrative, the storyline and key points that you will carry all the way through the report.
This is the place to show your enthusiasm and the energy behind the process. Express yourself a bit!
Write the introduction first, to give yourself a mini-outline to follow as you prepare the rest of the report. It’ll be a useful guide when you start getting lost in the details… or Write it last, after you’ve thought through and written the bulk of the report. You do you, but if you try it this way, be careful not to repeat what you write in the executive summary.
When discussing the structure of the report, provide hyperlinks to each section that’s mentioned.
Remember, the purpose of an introduction is to give the reader of sense of what’s to come. Unlike an executive summary, it doesn’t usually stand alone, but is an integral part of most report templates.
What can you exclude?
In an introduction, leave out:
Specific recommendations and conclusions.
Remember that the sections that follow will cover the research and analysis, along with key findings, recommendations and conclusions. Don’t repeat yourself… or you may find yourself accidently drafting an executive summary!
And, as I always recommend, write in plain language: write for your main reader, focus on the purpose, and structure it with a logical flow that helps them find, understand, and use your professional advice.
Consider this
I remember seeing a Deputy Minister leaving the office each day, paper trailing from his briefcase, as he rushed to the elevator.
Picture your version of this person. Will they really read more than the executive summary?
Thank you for reading!
I hope you find the content in this newsletter useful and thought-provoking. I really believe that we can continue to become better writers throughout our careers, and there’s always room to learn something new. I want this to be relevant to you! So contact me to share what you’re interested in, what you want to learn more about, what inspires you, or if you want to talk through a particular problem.
If you need assistance…
This newsletter is but one of many jobs I do as the lead at Scribe Technical, where I focus on editing and writing the plans, reports, and many other documents that planners and other subject matter experts prepare every day. If you need an editor, or are curious about how I can help, get in touch. I’m booking up fast for the fall!
See you post-Labour Day. The “back-to-school” season still gives me butterflies!
Lisa