The document discusses how market research reports are often too long and lack clear answers to clients' business issues. Survey results show that report receivers rate the quality of reports much lower than the report creators do. The gap suggests that creators are not recognizing problems with the reports. The document advocates focusing reports on solutions rather than just presenting data. It provides examples of concise report structures and emphasizes answering the key questions clients want answered. By preparing synthesized, solution-focused reports, the document argues client satisfaction and researcher productivity will both improve.

1. The Hole, Not The Drill: Why Reporting
Should Focus On The Solution
(And Not The Story!)
Mike Sherman & Davina Stanley
September 2021

2. Sponsors
Communication

3. Creating Better
Research Reports
The Hole, Not The Drill: Why Reporting
Should Focus On The Solution (And Not
The Story!)
Mike Sherman & Davina Stanley

4. The Hole, Not The Drill: Why Reporting
Should Focus On The Solution (And Not
The Story!)
1. Clients are not happy! (and we don’t realize it)
2. Reports are too long and lack a clear answer to the
client’s business issues
3. Preparing concise, synthesized reports will improve
client satisfaction as well as your productivity

5. 5
Very
4
3
2
1
0
Not
Very
Market
Research
Human
Resources
Information
Services
Marketing
Finance and
Accounting
How useful is the information?
In The 1990s CEOs Didn’t Value
Market Research

6. In 2019 Only 30% Of Report Recipients
Rated Reports Very Good or Excellent
7% 6%
28% 26%
32%
28%
23%
28%
7% 8%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Very poor Poor Fair Good Very good Excellent
Source: NewMR “Quality of Market Research Reports” survey, March 2019, “How would you describe the quality of that report?”
n=98

7. In 2021 The Results Are Similarly Poor
(But Slightly Improved)
Source: NewMR “Quality of Market Research Reports” survey, March 2019 and Summer 2021, “How would you describe the quality of that report?”
n=130
n=98
2019 2021
30% 36%
7% 6%
27% 26%
32%
28%
23%
28%
7% 8%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Very poor Poor Fair Good Very good Excellent

8. Report Creators Didn’t Recognize The
Problem - 2019
7%
1%
28%
7%
33%
24%
23%
47%
7%
20%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Very poor Poor Fair Good Very good Excellent
Source: NewMR “Quality of Market Research Reports” survey, March 2019, “How would you describe the quality of that report?”
Report Receivers Report Creators
n=382
n=98
37
point
gap

9. They Still Don’t - 2021
2% 0%
6%
0%
26%
6%
28%
23%
28%
46%
8%
23%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Very poor Poor Fair Good Very good Excellent
33
point
gap
Source: NewMR “Quality of Market Research Reports” survey, summer 2021, “How would you describe the quality of that report?”
Report Receivers Report Creators
n=361
n=130

10. Gap Exists In Other Industries
20%
4%
56%
44%
24%
49%
0% 3%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Poor Good Very Good Outstanding
Source: Clarity Client Survey, summer 2021“How would you describe the quality of that report?”
n=122
n=46
Authors
Audience
28
point
gap

11. 1. Clients are not happy! (and we don’t realize it)
2. Reports are too long and lack a clear answer to the
client’s business issues
3. Preparing concise, synthesized reports will improve
client satisfaction as well as your productivity
The Hole, Not The Drill: Why Reporting
Should Focus On The Solution (And Not
The Story!)

12. Everybody Agrees What Is
Important
Report Receivers (n=130)
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Detailed
Rigorous
Objective
Practical
Concise
Insightful
Report Creators (n=361)
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Detailed
Rigorous
Objective
Practical
Concise
Insightful
Source: NewMR “Quality of Market Research Reports” survey, summer 2021, “Which of the following do you think are most important for an ‘Excellent’ report?”

13. Biology Is Part Of The Problem
2%
of body weight
20%
of calorie burn

14. So Is The Curse Of Knowledge

15. 3 Bad (But Common) Examples
1. The “War and Peace” Report
2. The Data Drop Report
3. The Agatha Christie Report

16. “Many researchers are
still uncomfortable with
providing clear, concise
recommendations.”
- Marjolein Van
Nieuwkasteele, former
Head of Insights, Philips,
Research World, April 2005
These Are Long Standing
Problems
Source: Research World, April 2005, pages 13-14

17. In what ways was the report poor?
• “Presentation was a large 100pp pdf (with typos!) that
didn’t provide easily shareable insights to distribute to
other stakeholders”
• “Too many slides, difficult navigation”
• “Too much info on each page. Too many huge tables”
• “Volume of data presented overwhelmed non research
trained stakeholders”
• “Fantastic work, but likely too long to be truly
accessible”
Reports Are “Too Long” …
Source: NewMR “Quality of Market Research Reports” survey, Summer 2021, “In what ways was the report poor/good?”
REPORT RECEIVERS

18. In what ways was the report poor?
• “Very dense & difficult to surface the so what?”
• “The recommendations didn’t speak to some of the
key challenges we’re facing as an organization”
• “Overly descriptive of data rather than what we
learned and what the implications are. Structure
followed the questionnaire design rather than a
narrative answering the business questions”
• “Only report the findings but can’t interpret the data”
… And Lack Insights
Source: NewMR “Quality of Market Research Reports” survey, March 2019, “In what ways was the report poor/good?”
REPORT RECEIVERS

19. What is most important for making a report
excellent?
• “Answers the business issues”
• “Clearly answers the questions the stakeholders
want answers to”
• “Provocative or has a point of view”
• “Identifies clear action steps, shows patterns, going
beyond just observations”
Clients Want Answers!
Source: NewMR “Quality of Market Research Reports” survey, March 2019, “In what ways was the report poor/good?”
REPORT RECEIVERS

20. 1. Clients are not happy! (and we don’t realize it)
2. Reports are too long and lack a clear answer to the
client’s business issues
3. Preparing concise, synthesized reports will improve
client satisfaction as well as your productivity
The Hole, Not The Drill: Why
Reporting Should Focus On The
Solution (And Not The Story!)

21. Provide A Clear Message That Adds Value
Before – 640 words After – 266 words

22. Focus On Outcomes, Not Inputs

23. Convey Your Main Insights As An
Elevator Pitch
1. Main issue
2. Hypothesis
3. Next steps

24. Love it! How Do We Implement It?

25. Coonawarra Storyboard – Short Deck
What it is
Executive summary: for
a presentation
Where it came from
Tracker Tracker Tracker
E
X
A
M
P
L
E

26. Make A Strawman For Your Messages Early

27. 90 mins prep
Fast decision
> From 15 hours prep and
no decision to …
> From 90-min. detailed
discussion to …
2 questions
8 minutes
> From red penning multiple
lengthy drafts to …
30-minute briefing
1 quick review
Focus On Both Clarity AND Productivity

28. There Is An Opportunity To Use Your Time
Envelope Wisely
The old envelope
Key
messages
Materials
Analysis
Time
Your new one
Analysis
Storyline
Communication
materials
Have a complete draft storyline
half way through your time

29. 1. Clients are not happy! (and we don’t realize it)
2. Reports are too long and lack a solution focus.
3. Concise, synthesized reports will improve client
satisfaction.
The Hole, Not The Drill: Why Reporting
Should Focus On The Solution (And Not
The Story!)

31. Q & A
Ray Poynter
Davina Stanley
Mike Sherman

32. Sponsors
Communication