Making an annual report people actually read

An annual report has two audiences: the few who read every page, and the many who flick through for a few minutes. Good design serves both.

Lead with the year in numbers

Put the handful of figures that define the year on one spread near the front. Big numbers, short labels, one line of context each.

Give every section a headline, not a label

"Operations" tells the reader nothing. "Three new sites, opened on schedule" tells them what happened.

Use infographics for processes, tables for detail

If you are explaining how something works, draw it. If readers need to compare exact figures, use a clean table. Mixing the two is where reports get cluttered.

Design the financial pages too

• Consistent column widths and number alignment

• Clear notes and references

• Enough white space that the eye can track a row

Plan for screen as well as print

Most reports are now read as PDFs. Check that type is readable on a laptop, links work, and the file size is reasonable to email.

Planning a report or whitepaper this year? Tell us about it at hello@eliteslide.com.