Board papers should be concise and clear with clear and high-level insight. The ability to drill down to operational details should only be done where it’s required to make strategic decisions. Utilizing charts or graphs to present information or trends is also a good way of delivering insight at a lower level. Linking to more data or technical information in an appendix can be helpful.
The paper should define the reason for the paper (information, discussion, or seeking a resolution) and include a short executive summary that outlines the recommendations. The executive summary should not go beyond https://boardroomofficial.com/guide-to-board-decision-papers/ 4 to 5 lines.
The document should address the most important issues and risks in the proposed proposal. If the risk is a significant one the mitigation process and the likely impact must be identified. It is important to consider the potential for future risks in the event that the plan is not fully implemented or not achieved even it is thought to be low.
The paper should describe various alternatives that were considered during the decision making process and give a brief summary of the pros and cons or provide a summary of how the preferred option scored against the relevant decision criteria. An analysis of alternatives is important because it gives the Board with a variety of choice to consider in their governance responsibilities and helps to ensure that all possible outcomes were considered.