5.4 Structure of an interim presentation

A concise interim presentation can follow this sequence:

1. Purpose and decision: What does the project need to support?
2. Data and scope: What evidence is available, and what are its boundaries?
3. Verified findings: What has been established?
4. Developing analysis: What methods are being tested, and why?
5. Risks and open questions: What could change the result or schedule?
6. Project trajectory: What has been completed, and what remains?
7. Feedback and decisions needed: What should reviewers address now?
8. Next milestones: Who will do what, and by when?

The presentation should have thematic cohesion even though the work is unfinished. A central message such as “Growth is concentrated in two locations, but incomplete capacity records must be resolved before expansion can be recommended” is more informative than a sequence of unrelated updates.

Worked Example: Reviewing NVRW’s Interim Progress

The NVRW team has completed its data dictionary and initial EDA. It has verified that total visits increased, but most growth occurred at Lakeside and Central during weekday evenings. It has also found that program-capacity records are missing for one historical year.

The team presents three conclusions:

1. The location and time pattern is sufficiently stable to justify deeper analysis.
2. A population-utilization projection is feasible because client and population data share compatible geographic and age categories.
3. Capacity expansion cannot yet be recommended because historical wait-list and capacity data require verification.

The team asks for a decision about whether to limit the capacity analysis to the two years with reliable records or seek a corrected historical extract. This is a useful interim review because it connects findings, uncertainty, trajectory, and a decision request.