How to Present Research to Stakeholders Who Do Not Read Reports

You spent three weeks on a study. You wrote a thorough report. The stakeholder did not read it. This is not a complaint. It is a structural reality.

The Structure

1. Start with the decision, not the method.

2. Three to five findings as implications.

Checkpoint: How many slides describe what happened versus what it means for the business?

3. Connect to what is already known.

Checkpoint: Can you quickly find relevant past research to reference?

4. State the recommendation and the trade-offs.

5. End with a clear ask.

Different Formats

The one-pager. The workshop. The Slack summary. Match the format to how the stakeholder actually consumes information.

Checkpoint: Does your programme have templates for these formats?

After the Presentation

Checkpoint: After your last debrief, where did the findings go?

Checkpoint: For the last five studies you presented, how many resulted in a documented decision?