14.4 Executive summaries

The executive summary should stand on its own. A reader should understand:

• why the project was undertaken;
• what data and scope were used;
• what the most important evidence established;
• what the evidence means;
• what actions are recommended; and
• which limitations materially affect the decision.

Write the summary after the analysis and report are stable. Lead with findings and implications rather than a list of methods.

Worked Example: Rewriting an Activity-Focused Opening

“The team performed EDA, clustering, logistic regression, forecasting, and secondary research.”

Decision-focused opening

“NVRW’s capacity pressure is concentrated in evening programs at Central and Lakeside. Population growth will intensify the pressure, but targeted scheduling and retention pilots should be evaluated before system-wide expansion.”

The second version tells the reader what was learned and why it matters.