Geographical variations in engineering report style
Geographical variations in engineering report style
(OP)
I work for a well established UK/US company that produces many engineering reports for automotive clients from all parts of the World. My question is simple: Does preferred reporting style vary across the globe?
I've been told before by our US marketing people that the UK reporting style doesn't cut it in the US. Far too laboured - you have to read a lot of text before you get to the punch line. They would prefer the answer on page 1, with supporting arguments given later for those who want to read them.
The reporting style I've been familiar with has changed little from school to University to work - Introduction, Objectives, Method, Conclusions, Recommendations. And when I read a report I expect to skim through to the results and conclusions before studying the method too hard.
What is the typical and preferred reporting method elsewhere? Are there huge variations from US to EU to Asia? How would an American write a report for a Chinese audience? Or a German for an American audience?
I've been told before by our US marketing people that the UK reporting style doesn't cut it in the US. Far too laboured - you have to read a lot of text before you get to the punch line. They would prefer the answer on page 1, with supporting arguments given later for those who want to read them.
The reporting style I've been familiar with has changed little from school to University to work - Introduction, Objectives, Method, Conclusions, Recommendations. And when I read a report I expect to skim through to the results and conclusions before studying the method too hard.
What is the typical and preferred reporting method elsewhere? Are there huge variations from US to EU to Asia? How would an American write a report for a Chinese audience? Or a German for an American audience?





RE: Geographical variations in engineering report style
It lets somebody quickly find the salient points without slogging through the report in detail.
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Bring back the HP-15
www.hp15c.org
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RE: Geographical variations in engineering report style
corus
RE: Geographical variations in engineering report style
Executive summary, what's the bottom line !?
Cost, timing, performance, resources, results.
The rest is to back up the findings reported in the summary.
"Without data, you're just another person with an opinion"
regards,
Hydroformer
RE: Geographical variations in engineering report style
The journalistic style - same information repeated at more and more depth with each paragraph:
"Don't do it, it won't work. We did some experiments that proved it. Those experiments <bulk of summary>"
The narative style:
"XXX were approached by YYY to aid with a decision about ZZZ. Experiments were focused on <bulk of summary> The recommendation is to decline the offer."
RE: Geographical variations in engineering report style
What it is about? (i.e. headline, sometimes including location)
When and where investigation was made
Key persons involved
Previous reports on same subject (if any)
Summary, within a frame so that HE WHO PAYS can find it
Background, methods, instruments used.
Findings (including selected - NOT ALL! - measurement data, graphs etc)
Analysis ( sometimes including error analysis)
Recommendations
(Sometimes) Thanks
Place, date and name (easy to forget)
Appendices (if needed, usually contain references and facts that are not common knowledge for the particular trade)
Gunnar Englund
www.gke.org
RE: Geographical variations in engineering report style
RE: Geographical variations in engineering report style
Gunnar Englund
www.gke.org
RE: Geographical variations in engineering report style
Purpose and Scope: defines what it is that we were asked to look at and why
Limitations: generally where I cover if I was allowed destructive testing and extent of that testing
Reliance: CYA paragraph that informs the reader that the information is based on conditions extant AT THE TIME and is intended for the party to whom the report is written and cannot be relied on by third parties. This is to avoid those pesky 3rd party lawsuits by persons who did not commision and pay for the report. This is the only paragraph that you could call 'boilerplate', or pretty much the same for every report.
Executive Summary: Used for long, complicated reports involving several building components. I do a lot of roofing reports 5 pages or less where I skip this section.
By Component or Topic, Observations, Conclusions and Recommendations, sometimes in paragraph form, sometimes in bullet form. Depends on the client.
Attachements; Photos, sketches, drawings, pertinent documents, generally in that order.
And for those busy executives who don't have time to read the report, when they call I remind them that they paid for all the words, but I would be happy to summarize verbally. I generally remind them that it is included for an additional fee. Some don't mind paying the extra money just to hear it instead of reading it.
"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance!"
RE: Geographical variations in engineering report style
RE: Geographical variations in engineering report style
That's fine if the purpose of everything that's been written is for it all to be read by everyone.
A lot of the time, the report has two distinct audiences:
1. The person who paid you to write it, who will want to read the recommendation without having to hunt for them and probably doesn't have time for the rest.
2. The person they paid to review it, who will want to be able to find and understand all the supporting data and analysis to advise whether the recommendations are sound.
A.
RE: Geographical variations in engineering report style
Naresuan University
Phitsanulok
Thailand
RE: Geographical variations in engineering report style
RE: Geographical variations in engineering report style
RE: Geographical variations in engineering report style
Naresuan University
Phitsanulok
Thailand
RE: Geographical variations in engineering report style
You got a bunch of answers from a gerographically diverse selection of participants all describing essentially the same format with minor variations.
Seems like a reasonably good answer to your question to me.
RE: Geographical variations in engineering report style
I see most of these responses are 'I do it this way and it works for me (and my company)'.
You asked for a 'typical and preferred reporting method' and I believe you've got one. For something as subjective as technical report writing there is no definitive format, so comments based on the experience of other engineering professionals would keep me happy if I had asked the question.
Now my way, the right way (kidding).
I tend to differentiate between professions only, not nationalities. I'll write a feasability study in a different manner to a failure analysis because although the audience for the 2 overlap, one is mainly for management and the other for engineering professionals, but I don't give much thought if any to the nationality of the customer. Language aside, a Chinese plant engineer should have a similar level of understanding of a failure report as a US engineer, and a concise impersonal writing style should translate well to any culture.
This was a great thread SomptingGuy, much more in line with the objective of this forum than arguing over differing regional spellings etc.