An engaging report uses 'change language' instead of action language.
Action Language
Action language reflects the completion of a series of activities:
"XYZ supported the peer education of 150,000 girls on HIV prevention"
Avoid using action language.
Change Language
Change language reports on the results of an action instead of the action itself:
"150,000 girls know how to protect themselves against HIV infection with the support of XYZ"
Phrases to Avoid
- "Organisation XYZ supported …"
- "Organisation XYZ worked with …"
- "Organisation XYZ sought to …"
- "Organisation XYZ attempted to …"
Instead, describe the change that these activities led to.
Exclude Internal Matters
Avoid reporting on internal matters not directly related to delivering results — capacity-building of staff, project management issues, staffing, etc.
Want to learn more? Check out the video course on Practical Results Based Management on Udemy.