A report is a document that presents or summarizes the facts about specific topics, situations, events, or problems. As simple as it may seem, structuring a report takes work.

So, to help you understand what to do to provide your reader with an easy and attractive reading experience, we present a short report below to help you structure your report.

How to structure a report

Following a structured organization in the document will facilitate the design work that will bring your report to life. Remember: designers like structure and need clarity when creating. After all, creativity also needs direction.

The traditional report structure goes a little something like this:

1. Title page (clear and concise)

2. Executive Summary (an overview of your entire report)

3. Table of contents (index page)

4. Introduction (origin and essentials of the main subject)

5. Discussion or body (development of the main topic)

6. Conclusion (inferences, measures taken)

7. References

8. Annexes

The structure of a report depends on the type of report and the assignment's requirements. But independent of the kind, there are some visual and structural elements that you need to apply when creating your report.

Making the report scannable

Using headings and hierarchy in a report helps with organization and readability and has essential implications for SEO and user accessibility.

You know when you pick up a report to read, but you're only interested in a specific topic? Headings can break up large blocks of text, making it easier for readers to read and find the information they need, just like in these cases, and improve the overall reader experience, making the report more accessible and engaging for a wider audience.

Let's say we have a report about "The Power of Editorial Design." Here's what the structure of that post might look like:

H1: The Power of Editorial Design

H2: Why is editorial design so important?

H3: They don't just mean visual things

H3: You can use them for more than having a good-looking report

H2: Where should you invest in editorial design?

H3: How to find the right editorial designer

See how we’ve created a logical structure, using H1 for the title, H2 tags to plan sections, and H3 tags to cover specific topics. We’ve done the same thing in the post you’re reading!

Another reason to use these items correctly is that search engines such as Google, Bing, and DuckDuckGo use headings to understand the structure and hierarchy of a document, affecting how the report appears in search results.

On the other hand, headings also contribute to accessibility to users who use screen readers. These users can navigate the document more efficiently and better understand the content.

Spicing it up: Boxes, pull quotes, and images

Use boxes, pull quotes, and images to make your report better structured, enrich your publication, and make it more engaging and exciting to read.

Boxes and pull quotes can draw attention to important information or separate large blocks of text. You can also use them to highlight quotes or statistics that are particularly important.

Images will add visual interest to a publication to illustrate critical points or separate large blocks of text. Another reason to use images is to apply context to the text, giving readers a better understanding of the topic.

So, pay attention when choosing images. Consider the report's theme so you don't select an image that doesn't make sense.

By breaking up the text with these visual elements, such as boxes, quotes, and images, you can create a more engaging and exciting publication that will likely hold readers' attention.

Advanced Structures

Although it's an advanced structure, taking the time to follow one tip will make all the difference to the quality of your report, taking your publication to another level.

Most reports have a Results section or Case Studies. Usually, these sections are long lists of examples, which can become tiresome for the reader and confusing for the designer.

To avoid this situation, create a structure for each example, which will improve things when a designer works from your content.

Here's an example to make it easier

Let's take the structuring of case studies content as an example. Imagine deciding that each case study sample will have a main title, a few context paragraphs, a conclusion paragraph, and an "on-the-ground story" in one or two sections.

This repetition of headings and text in similar quantities and sizes will be much better for the designer, as they can make your report have a structured block with these data points rather than a single prose-like block with five paragraphs.

In addition, including several repetitive headings will help the designer design these elements creatively, objectively, and fluidly, creating a rhythm in the section.

As a result, readers can scroll through the pages and visually identify the repetition, instantly communicating the list aspect and how these examples are structured.

Even if you use information from other reports, remember to standardize the length of the case study content to one or two pages to create this visual repetition.

To provide a clearer understanding and visualization of this concept, check out the example below:

As you can see, the repetition in the structure allows the reader to find the subjects easily and have a more fluid reading. So keep an eye out for possible repetitions. You can use it in all report sections, including the results page.

Review your report

Once structured, reviewing the report one last time is essential to optimize the wording, ensure a positive reading experience, and evaluate the visual elements.

At this point, it's normal to have a more complex round of revision. When you see your report laid out, you'll have many ideas for editing the text, removing a sentence, or even moving a paragraph.

Don't worry; this is part of the process. As we said at the beginning of the article, creating a report is hard work, and structuring it even more so. That's why you'll need assistance during the creation process.

For this, it is essential to rely on a company specializing in creating reports, such as CCM, to identify these points, offer suggestions for improvement, and give you all the support you need when creating your report.

Your report deserves to reach its full potential.

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