QBR decks: what leadership is actually looking for

Worked example

Use these starting values to work through the decision, then substitute your own inputs.

Leadership sees a support backlog rise from 200 to 260 tickets, while throughput rises from 500 to 620. The backlog grew 30% and throughput 24%; 'the team is doing more' does not explain whether incoming work outpaced capacity. Add opening backlog, new tickets, resolved tickets and closing backlog. A decision-ready slide asks whether to change staffing, prioritization or intake, with the cost and owner of each option. Do not use one percentage as a substitute for that reconciliation.

From calculation to a defensible headline

Write the formula beside the source values before choosing a chart. A total, a rate and a change in a rate need different denominators. Round only the displayed answer so repeated rounding does not distort the comparison.

1. Record period, unit and population for each input; distinguish actual results from a plan or forecast.
2. Recalculate the headline independently from the chart, then check that both tell the same story.
3. Turn the result into a specific decision. Keep proposed explanations as questions until separate evidence supports them.

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Related guide

• Annual Report to Presentation: An 8-Slide Example