We have access to more data but are delivering shorter reports.
Something has to change, right?
More Data
From site analytics to large public databases, we have access to more data. Much of it just sits there, wasting away.
This data can be useful, you just need to know how to find, analyze and present.
Shorter Reports
In some type of strange twist, as the amount of available data is going up, demand for shorter reports is also going up.
The attention spans of stakeholders and clients are hitting new lows and we have more to tell them. How do we respond?
1. Do nothing
If a client makes a hard request, you’ll adapt for that client. But what about the other times?
Not changing is the easiest response. Probably not the best, but it is the easiest.
2. Increase your efficiency
This is one of the big reasons for the rise in popularity of data visualization. If we can present data more efficiently we can reach our audience quicker, and often more effectively.
Efficiency is also about tailoring an analysis for a specific audience. You want the reader to think it was easy, even when it’s often not.
3. Write more reports
This goes hand in hand with efficiency.
Don’t just write one 200 page report. Write one 60 page report, two 30 page reports, five 10 page reports, ten 5 page reports, and twenty one pagers. Each with a different purpose, tailored for different audiences and delivered not just in one burst but throughout the year.
What are your thoughts?
Do you have access to more data? Have you been changing your reports? What’s the biggest challenge Let me know with a comment.
Thanks for this, Chris, and your webinar. A 4th option could be partnering with others (e.g. journalists, copy writers)to help craft communications for different audiences. We can get news, music and TV how we want it, when we want it. Increasingly people will expect this of evaluation professionals, too.
Thanks for the comment Anne! This new digital world is all about collaboration and partnerships.