Report Skills in the Era of Industry 4.0: Necessary yet Lacking

Current Situation:

• Report skills are not systematically taught: In both primary and tertiary education, subjects related to reporting often focus on theory and general structure, lacking practical exercises and effective presentation skills training.
• Lack of training environment: There are few opportunities to practice report skills in educational and work environments. Group report assignments often lead to some members not actively participating, affecting the overall quality of reports.
• Subjectivity regarding importance: Many people believe that report skills are only necessary for certain professions, failing to recognize its importance across all fields.

Consequences:

• Low work efficiency: Poor report skills lead to ineffective information transmission, causing misunderstandings and impacting work results.
• Missed promotion opportunities: In today’s competitive environment, report skills are crucial for evaluating employees’ capabilities. Lack of these skills may result in missed career advancement opportunities.
• Waste of time and resources: Ineffective reports waste the time and effort of the audience to understand the information, leading to time and resource wastage.

Development Solutions for Report Skills:

• Increase awareness of the importance of report skills: Promote and educate about the importance of report skills in all fields.
• Incorporate report skills into the curriculum: Integrate lessons on report skills into primary and tertiary education curricula, focusing on practical skill development for students.
• Create training environments: Businesses and organizations should provide opportunities for employees to hone report skills through workshops, training courses, and real-life projects.
• Self-training: Individuals should actively improve report skills by participating in courses, reading materials, and regular practice.

What Makes a Good Report?

A good report meets the following criteria:

1. Content:

• Accuracy: Information in the report must be accurate, up-to-date, and sourced from reliable sources.
• Completeness: The report should provide sufficient information for readers to understand the issue.
• Objectivity: The report should present information objectively, without bias towards any party.
• Relevance: The report’s content must be relevant to the topic and objectives.

2. Structure:

• Clarity: The report should have a clear, logical, and coherent structure.
• Coherence: Sections in the report should be arranged logically and systematically.
• Readability: Readers should find it easy to follow and comprehend the report’s content.

3. Language:

• Accuracy: Language used in the report should be accurate, concise, and easy to understand.
• Appropriateness: Language should be suitable for the intended audience.
• Professionalism: Language used should reflect professionalism.

4. Presentation:

• Engagement: The report should be presented in an engaging manner to attract and leave a positive impression on readers.
• Aesthetics: The report should be visually appealing, orderly, and aesthetically pleasing.
• Professionalism: Presentation of the report should demonstrate professionalism and be suitable for each field.

Additionally, a good report should also meet the following requirements:

• Clear objectives: The report should be written with specific, clear objectives and clearly identify the intended audience.
• Persuasiveness: The report should present information persuasively, logically, and have an impact on the reader.
• Applicability: The report should provide useful information that can be applied in real-life situations.
• Creativity: The report should demonstrate creativity in presentation style and language use.

Conclusion:

Report skills are extremely important soft skills in the digital age. Focusing on the development of these skills will contribute to improving work efficiency, enhancing competitiveness, and promoting success for individuals and organizations. Therefore, the collective efforts of all stakeholders are needed to raise awareness, strengthen training, create practical environments, and encourage leadership to prioritize report skills, thereby contributing to building a sustainable information society.