Board documents should be concise and clear, with clear and high-level https://boardroomofficial.com/practical-steps-for-getting-the-best-data-room-software/ insight. Only dig into the operational level when it is essential to make strategic decisions. Utilizing charts or graphs to present information or trends is also a good method of providing insight at an introductory level. In an appendix it is helpful to provide a link for more technical details or statistics.

Whether the decision is one-off or a continuous issue the paper should clearly state the purpose of the Board document (information only discussion or seeking an outcome) and provide a brief executive summary that specifies the recommendation. The ideal executive summary should not go on more than 4 – 5 lines.

The paper should highlight the principal risks and issues associated with the proposal. If the risk is substantial the mitigation plan and its impact should be determined. Even if you believe the risk is minimal it’s important to take into consideration the future risks that could result if your plan is not fully implemented or is not met.

The document should contain a description of the many options that were taken into consideration during the decision-making process and then provide a summary with pros and cons. It should also outline the preferred option’s score against the relevant criteria. The inclusion of an analysis of alternatives is crucial as it provides the Board with more than one option to think about in their governance responsibilities and helps ensure that all possible outcomes have been considered.