At Corona Insights, delivering high-quality research is only part of our job. Just as critical is ensuring that our findings are understood, remembered, and applied. That’s where the art of presentation comes in—specifically, how we tailor our approach depending on whether we’re delivering only a written report or also presenting findings live to clients and stakeholders.

Considerations for presenting research findings

Most of our research engagements culminate in a written report, sometimes in a document format, but more often created as a slideshow deck. This deliverable serves both as a reference tool and a storytelling medium we can use to present findings. We want to make sure it houses all the detail—methodologies, appendices, supporting data, and nuanced interpretations—while still telling a cohesive and compelling narrative. A PowerPoint report deck often makes the information more accessible, especially for organization leadership or team members who need to quickly understand the key takeaways and recommendations.

Presenting findings in person—or virtually—is yet another layer of communication. Unlike a static report or even an engaging deck, a live presentation is a chance to guide the audience through the narrative, answer questions in real time, and emphasize what’s most important for their unique context. We often have to reconsider the order and scope of the report deck when getting ready to present it. 

For example, our written reports almost always start with an executive summary with a dashboard or key findings, followed by more detailed findings. However, for a presentation, walking through both key and detailed findings is often unnecessary and repetitive. So then the question becomes whether the audience would most benefit from a deep dive or if our time would be better used presenting only the high-level findings and leaving more time for discussion and questions.

These different layers and considerations are why we’re always thinking about our reports and presentations not just as deliverables, but as strategic tools. The format, order of information, and focus all shift depending on who’s receiving the information and how they’ll use it. An internal research or evaluation team may benefit from a deeper dive into methodology upfront, while a board presentation may prioritize headline findings and actionable next steps. In each case, our job is to meet the audience where they are—and help them move forward with clarity and confidence.

And as tools evolve, so do our methods. While written reports and PowerPoint decks remain our mainstays, we’re also exploring new ways to deliver insights, including interactive dashboards that allow clients to explore the data on their own terms. See our recent blog post on our experience with Displayr! In every format, our goal remains the same: to make research results as engaging, usable, and impactful as possible.