Board papers should be concise https://boardroomofficial.com/guide-to-board-decision-papers/ and clear, with a high level insight. Only drill down into the operational level when it is necessary for strategic decisions. Use graphs or charts to provide a summary of data or trends. The inclusion of a link to more information or statistics on a technical level in an appendix can be helpful.

Whether the decision is one-off or a continuous issue the document should define the purpose of the Board paper (information only or discussion, or seeking a decision) and include a brief executive summary that outlines the recommendation. The executive summary should not exceed 4 to five lines.

The document should describe the key issues and risks that are associated with the proposed plan. If the risk is substantial there should be a clear mitigation plan and its impact should be determined. Even if you think that the risk isn’t too high, it’s important to consider the potential risks that might arise if your proposal is not implemented fully or is not achieved.

The report should outline the various alternatives that were considered during the decision-making process and provide a summary of pros/cons or describe how the preferred option scored on the relevant decision criteria. It is important to include an alternative analysis as it provides the Board multiple options to consider when carrying out their governance duties. This helps ensure that they have thought about all possible outcomes.