Interview Q - realised that my last post was vague

[Quirkyme]

Evening, I've realised that my last post was quite vague and I should have given more context and said who my audience would be and what the role would involve:

So the Q that will be asked is : what are things to consider/do when writing reports for all/a range of audiences?

The role involves writing reports following home visits, which will be shared with parents/carers....

So far my thoughts are: using simple, clear language, not using difficult terminology that only people in my field would understand so as not to exclude readers, or make it difficult for them to understand/engage with the report, when using abbreviations - explaining what they mean, and using inclusive language. Using diagrams/pics to convey and illustrate points...

Is there anything else you would suggest? I'm having trouble putting this into a way that I would answer in an interview with examples, I thought asking here would be useful due to having parents and carers galore here!

As well as clear language, the structure of the report should be easy to follow with headings for each section. Use bullet points where appropriate. List recommendations/next steps at the end.

Also think about options for alternative formats like large print, translated into another language if necessary, an audio version etc.

Give the report a clear title, stating the purpose of the report, who wrote it, who will able to permitted to read the report/who it will be shared with.

Stating the credentials of who wrote or reviewed the report can help make it authoritative and credible sometimes, if that is likely to be an issue.

In terms of content, if the report contains complex conclusions or sensitive judgements, especially if they might be contentious, then the writer must write factually so that it is clear how information was collected, what criteria were used to assess data, and how conclusions were reached. So perhaps you might use a traffic light system where you explain what would be green, amber or red and then which category you've assessed this case as. Using recognisable frameworks like traffic lights or rating scales helps non-expert audiences immediately latch on to what is good and bad. An example of this is Ofsted reports, where there is lots of detail but everyone can basically understand Outstanding, good, needs improvement etc.

Provide a contacts section so in case of confusion or further questions parent,/carer can follow up.