Session 23: Reporting & Stakeholder Communication

Block 4: Email Automation, Influencer Briefs, Analytics & Finalizing A2

View lecture slides: Session 23 Slides

1-Hour Lecture (Theory & Strategy)

Data ≠ insight ≠ decision. A dashboard export is data; your Session 22 memo is insight; a report tells a stakeholder what decision to make and why.
Reporting structure: headline result (one sentence), 2–3 supporting charts/numbers, one recommendation, one risk/caveat.
Read the full theory here: Data-Driven Decisions and the automation/reporting AI workflow: Analytics (AI Launchpad).
Avoid the two common failure modes: (1) a data dump with no recommendation, (2) a recommendation with no supporting evidence.

flowchart LR
    DATA[Dashboard Export: Data] --> INS[S22 Insight Memo: Insight]
    INS --> RPT[One-Page Stakeholder Report]
    RPT --> HL[Headline Result]
    RPT --> CH[2 Supporting Charts]
    RPT --> REC[One Recommendation]
    RPT --> CAV[One Risk/Caveat]
    REC --> S24[Feeds Session 24 Capstone]

Figure 1: From data to stakeholder decision

Key Concepts in Depth

A stakeholder report exists to produce a decision. Structure it so the decision is visible in the first 30 seconds:

Headline: one sentence with the result and the recommendation.
Evidence: 2–3 charts or numbers that support the headline, each with a one-line takeaway as the chart title.
Recommendation: what to do, what it costs, and the expected result.
Caveat: the main uncertainty (small sample, seasonality, tracking gap).

A useful framing is SCQA: Situation (what was expected), Complication (what changed), Question (what should we do?), Answer (the recommendation).

Chart rules: choose the chart that makes the comparison obvious (bars for comparisons, lines for trends), label the axes, start bar charts at zero, and highlight the one number that matters. Report numbers against a target or a previous period; a number on its own has no meaning.

Tailor the depth to the audience: an owner wants outcomes and money; a marketing manager also wants channel detail.

Worked Example: Pathshala Tutors (Running Case)

One-page October report for Pathshala’s owner:

Headline: “Leads rose 40% (30 → 42) at a stable cost per lead. Move NPR 3,000 from Meta to Search next month to reach the 60-lead target.”

Evidence:

Metric	September	October	Target
Leads	30	42	60
Blended CPL (NPR)	610	595	≤ 500
Enrolments	6	8	12
Search CPL / Meta CPL (NPR)	520 / 380	470 / 410	500 / 300

Chart title: “Search CPL fell below target after negatives were added; Meta CPL is rising.”

Recommendation: shift NPR 3,000 from Meta to the IELTS-Lalitpur search ad group; keep Meta’s remarketing audience. Expected: about 6 additional leads in November.

Caveat: October includes the Dashain holiday, which may have lowered enquiries; compare against November before making the shift permanent.

The 90-second spoken version starts with the headline sentence, gives one supporting number, and ends with the decision needed: “Do we approve the shift?”

1-Hour Lab (Agency Execution)

Convert your Session 22 insight memo into a one-page visual report: headline metric, 2 supporting charts/tables, one clear recommendation, one caveat.
Present your report to a partner in 90 seconds — practice the “headline first” delivery style used in the Session 12 peer review and the eventual Session 24 capstone.
Get one piece of feedback: was the recommendation clear within the first 30 seconds?
Revise your report based on that feedback.

Common Mistakes

Dumping every dashboard chart with no headline.
Recommendations with no evidence, or evidence with no recommendation.
Numbers with no comparison (target, previous period).
Leaving out caveats, which damages trust when results later change.

Deliverable: Stakeholder Report (feeds Session 24 capstone)

A polished one-page analytics report — ready to fold into your Block 4 capstone review package.

Summary

Reports move from data to insight to decision. A one-page structure gives a headline result and recommendation, 2–3 supporting numbers or charts, one clear action, and one caveat. SCQA and well-titled charts make the decision visible within 30 seconds.

Key Takeaways

Headline first: result plus recommendation.
Every number needs a comparison.
Chart titles should state the takeaway.
State the main caveat openly.

Review Questions

Short answer

Explain the difference between data, insight and decision.
What does SCQA stand for?
Give two rules for clear charts in a management report.

Applied (case) questions

Write a headline, three evidence bullets, a recommendation and a caveat for a café whose Instagram followers grew 50% but orders stayed flat.
Rewrite this report opening so a CEO understands it in 30 seconds: “This month we observed various changes across channels including impressions, reach, engagement and CTR.”

Session 23: Reporting & Stakeholder Communication