Some students deride progress reports as a waste of time. Truth is, they’re one of the most valuable documentation tools out there, especially for people involved in projects that can stretch out for longer time periods.
Whether spotlessly-written with the help of a report writing software or not, there are many upsides to composing progress reports. Here are some of them:
Clarity. Progress reports help you paint a clearer picture in your mind by forcing you to take a long, hard look at your work. Instead of spending all your time mired deep in it, writing the report gives you an opportunity to pull your head out of the sand and spend time to think about the job concretely.
Productivity. Because of their goal-setting nature, progress reports tend to make people more productive. This is especially helpful for individuals who struggle with the planning and organizational aspects of a job, since the report itself can serve that purpose for them.
Better meetings. When you have a progress report to analyze, meetings for projects just go much smoother. Almost all the key factors will be included – from goals met to current issues to future milestones. Sending them to everyone concerned beforehand clears up many questions even before the actual meeting starts.
Better reviews. Want someone to look at your project and give you suggestions for improvement? No need to compose long-winded explanations – get them up to speed quickly with your progress reports.
Documentation. After the project is done, the reports serve as an excellent documentation for all thing things you did, including areas that proved easy and ones that gave you fits. It shows you how you spent your time and, with some analysis, can show you how to improve for your next undertakings.
