Do some of your business reports feel unintelligible? Then help make a change with these three vital questions.
To see how these concepts played out in our project for this client, please visit Win New Business With Understandable Lab Reports.
I once heard a pastor say there are three key questions to ask when reading any story in scripture:
- What? – What happened in the story?
- So What? – What is the moral of the story?
- Now What? – How can I apply this story and its moral in my life?
I believe the same questions apply to any story, situation, or report we encounter – including a common report we all often receive.
A visit to the doctor or a hospital frequently leads to a blood test, so we roll up our sleeve, allow some blood to be drawn, see teh sample labeled to send to a lab for processing, and receive the results.
Receiving the results, however, often leads to confusion or frustration – even if the doctor explains the results and gives you a copy of the report. If you're like me, the technical terms on the lab report cause your eyes to glaze over – not because its message is unimportant, but because it is unintelligible.
Frequently, looking at a lab report feels like we're reading something in a foreign language. More importantly, the typical lab report fails to clearly answer the three key questions: What? So What? Now What?
What if your lab report could be presented and its contents explained in a way that DID clearly answer the three important questions? Why, it would become very popular with doctors and you, the patient!
This month's case study shows how we worked closely with our client to develop a lab report to help answer the three key questions:
- What? – "What were my results, and are they normal?"
- So What? – "Given the results, how will this affect my health?"
- Now What? – "Okay, there is a problem – what do I need to do to get things back in line?"
So, the next time you're given an unintelligible lab report, be sure to ask, "Is there a different format of this report – one I can actually understand and apply?" If the answer is "yes," great – you may end up receiving a report we developed. If the answer is "no"? Ask your doctor to contact us – we'd be happy to connect them with our client.
Todd L. Herman
Read more on the benefits of a business reporting project.
