10.3 Recommendation Reports and Feasibility Studies
10.3 Recommendation Reports and Feasibility Studies
Feasibility and recommendation reports are most often the final step in a series of documents, often beginning with a proposal and perhaps a series of progress reports, or they can be created in response to a smaller challenge. Feasibility, recommendation, evaluation, and assessment reports are analytic reports that all do roughly the same thing—provide a careful study of a situation or problem and often recommend what should be done to improve a situation. There are some subtle differences among these types, and names for them can vary. They can be written as long reports in response to complex situations or as shorter reports for less complex ones.
This chapter will discuss what feasibility and recommendation reports consist of and how to create and organize their contents. To view examples of both business and technical feasibility and recommendation reports, please visit David McMurrey’s Online Technical Writing: Examples, Cases, and Models.
Feasibility Reports
A feasibility report presents an opinion about a situation (for example, a problem or opportunity) and assesses a plan for doing something about it. The report then discusses whether that plan is “feasible”—whether it is practical in terms of current resources, technology, economics, time frame, social needs and preferences, and so on. The feasibility report answers the question “Should we implement Plan X?” by stating “yes,” “no,” or sometimes a “maybe” or “under certain conditions.” Not only does it indicate whether the idea is feasible, it also provides the data and the reasoning behind that determination; conversely, it might outline the reasons why the idea cannot or should not be implemented, or what obstacles must be overcome before the idea can become feasible. Typical questions addressed in these reports include
- Is it possible? Can this be done within the allotted budget, time frame, legal and regulatory conditions, and technical capabilities?
- Is it financially viable? Even if it falls within our budget, should we do it? Will it have long-term benefits that outweigh costs? Is there a less expensive or financially risky way to achieving the same result? How does it compare to the cost of doing nothing about this situation?
- Will it be accepted by the community? Will people be in favor of this idea? Will anyone be opposed to it? How much public support is necessary to make this successful? (What kind of stakeholder consultation might be necessary to determine this?)
- Do we have the expertise and human capital to proceed? Does the company have the expertise, resources, and time to commit to the completion of the project within a specified time?
For an example of a formal feasibility study, see this Student-Feasibility-Report-sample (Fleming, n.d.).
Recommendation Reports
A recommendation report starts from a stated need; it outlines criteria for assessing the options, offers a selection of solution options, presents a deta