Have you ever agonized over how much detail you should include in a chart, a slide, or a presentation? This was a constant struggle for me in my own analytic career. I didn’t want my deliverables to look cluttered and busy, because that felt unprofessional and off-putting. At the same time, I didn’t want my audiences—who were usually the leadership team at either my company or my client organization—to think I hadn’t performed a thorough analysis. I worried that a sparse or simplistic-looking presentation would give the impression that I hadn’t done my due diligence.

Eventually, I came to understand where I was going wrong: I wanted to include all the important information in my reports, but I had a terrible barometer for what was actually “important.” When you work on a project for a long time, giving it every ounce of effort and every moment of your attention, it’s only natural that every aspect of it begins to seem crucial. However, communicating your findings effectively isn’t about what seems crucial to you…it requires discerning which details matter most to your audience. Your perception of what's important often differs from theirs.

Here’s a simple guideline for determining what to include

So, how do you determine what information to include and what to omit? During a recent workshop, someone shared a piece of wisdom from his father. When this person would tell a story that his father felt was getting a little lengthy, he would say, "Son…is this information ‘need to know’, or is it just ‘good to know’?'"

The “need to know” vs. “good to know” distinction can be an excellent guideline for deciding what level of detail to include.

I want my audience to be fully informed, and as such I think for them, it would be “good to know” the complete context of the report I’m delivering. If I’m being totally honest with myself, I also want them to be confident in (and maybe even appreciative of) the thoroughness of the work I’ve done to put this assessment together, so I’ll include as much detail as I can.
At the same time, my audience has many obligations and demands on their time, and my report addresses a topic that is just one small piece of their entire sphere of responsibility. They asked me to perform this analysis so that they could see the results of it, and take action based on those results. It is most efficient and effective for them to get the information they “need to know” quickly and clearly. If they need more context or detail, they know where to find it.

When I communicate with data now, one of my goals is to respect my audience's time. I aim to engage and inform them without overwhelming them with unnecessary details. I’ve come to realize that I can plan to present just the “need to know” information, because all of that “good to know” stuff…still exists. It won’t disappear into thin air if it doesn’t make it into the main presentation slides. It can live in backup slides, additional documentation, or even just in my brain, ready to be provided if needed.

Find the line between “need to know” and “good to know”

Remember, the line between “good to know” and “need to know” is not for you to decide; it's for you to discover, based on your audience's situation and perspective. Put yourself in their shoes…if you had limited time and need to grasp the essentials quickly, what would you want to hear? What would you be willing to skip over? This empathetic approach will help you set aside your personal preferences, and make decisions on what to include that better serve your audience.

Keep in mind that what amount of detail qualifies as “need to know” will also differ from presentation to presentation. Some audiences may prefer to get more granular data, or may demand to be shown copious supporting information—especially if you're making recommendations. In rare cases, the audience’s idea of what constitutes “need to know” may exceed even your own. That’s OK! If you’ve done your job as an analyst and as a communicator, your message will not materially change whether you include a handful of data or a wheelbarrowful. What will change is how much more satisfied your audience will be with your communication when it’s presented in a way that matches their preferences.

The key is to understand your audience and their needs

Following these guidelines will ensure that your communications neither bore nor overwhelm your intended audiences. In most cases, limiting yourself to what folks “need to know” will help you create shorter, more focused presentations…and that’s something that everybody appreciates.