Summary
Highlights
A recommendation report is a problem-and-solution document that suggests the best solution to a need or problem. These reports can be solicited or unsolicited and aim to persuade an audience to act on a recommendation. Understanding the audience's receptiveness is crucial, as it dictates whether the recommendation should be presented early or late in the report.
Before writing, it's essential to define the problem clearly, especially in unsolicited reports where the problem may not be immediately evident to the reader. Next, brainstorm possible solutions, ideally narrowing them down to two or three viable choices. This often requires additional research to find the most appropriate solutions.
After brainstorming, establish clear criteria for evaluating the solutions. Involve concerned individuals to ensure the recommended solution works for everyone. The criteria list should ideally have no more than five main points, with larger criteria broken down into sub-criteria.
Recommendation reports are highly structured, typically including an introduction, a recommendation (or summary of discussion), the scope, and a discussion section. The format can vary based on the audience's needs, such as email attachments or website links. The discussion section analyzes criteria using a point-by-point organizational plan.
The introduction states the purpose, briefly explains the problem, narrows choice options, and previews the report. The recommendation section presents the final recommendation, using criteria to summarize reasons. For multiple recommendations, they should be numbered and listed. The scope section lists criteria in descending order of importance, explains their selection, and can also address excluded criteria.
The discussion section thoroughly analyzes each criterion, starting with the most important, drawing conclusions about the best item for each. Most reports use a point-by-point comparison. Appendices provide supplementary material, labeled and numbered, to support the main document.
Composing involves setting criteria based on what stakeholders deem important, evaluating these criteria through a step-by-step process, and researching them comprehensively. Research data can come from field research (surveys, interviews), websites, manuals, catalogs, and print media like Consumer Reports or professional journals.