Hung Doan

I believe this structure isn’t new or special in anyway, as it’s quite similar to the format of academic papers we often read. I think it highly practical in a business environment as well. I used this structure not only for documentation but also as a mental map when exploring anything new.

Hopefully, this short article provides some helpful ideas on how to structure your reports or documentation.

1. Abstract
Summarize the research objective, main findings, and key outcomes. This brief overview gives readers a snapshot of what the report covers, and the main results achieved.

2. Introduction
Provide context for the research, including background information, the problem being addressed, and the report’s objectives. Explain the relevance and potential impact of the research.

When exploring or comparing new technologies or platforms, I often pay attention to their historical background to understand why they exist and their long-term objectives. I believe that understanding their history and business vision can reveal their ultimate target market or use cases, which is crucial in my decision-making process, especially when tools, platforms, or solutions have significant overlap.

3. Related Work
Review existing literature, technologies, or methodologies relevant to the topic. Highlight how this work builds upon, diverges from, or improves existing approaches.

4. Our Work
Describe the research methodology, tools, and processes used. Detail any unique approaches taken, decisions made, or specific challenges encountered during the research.

5. Outcome/Benchmarking/Demo (Optional)
Present the results, benchmarks, or demos achieved through the research. Use data, metrics, or visual aids (graphs, charts) to showcase outcomes and compare with any baseline or expected performance.

6. Conclusion
Summarize the findings, their implications, and potential future work. Conclude by reinforcing the value of the research and any recommendations for further exploration or implementation.

7. References

List of cited works, resources, and related research materials.