IBCS - Standardized, structured and easy-to-understand reports
In today's world of reporting with Power BI, Qlikview, SAC, Tableau and other reporting tools, every dashboard looks different depending on the software and creator. To date, there are no generally binding rules for creating reports.
The following screenshots show sales dashboards from various companies.
All of them show in one form the turnover, the profit and the quantity of goods sold. They are all structured completely differently. Some write "Revenue", "Sales" or "Total Sales", but they all mean the same value. Some reports mainly use bar and column charts, others still show pie and tile charts.
The viewer is not able to compare all reports with each other at a glance. Instead, the report must first be understood before the information can be used. The design of report pages and visuals must not affect the comprehensibility of the information presented. The core task of reporting is to answer standardized questions quickly.
The International Business Communication Standards (IBCS) provide clearly defined rules for structured and standardized report design.
What is IBCS?
The International Business Communication Standards (IBCS) were created to bridge the gap in business communication. Often, important information in reports and presentations is presented in different ways, which can lead to misunderstandings and ineffective decision-making. IBCS addresses this by introducing standardized rules for the visual presentation of information.
The IBCS standard was defined in 2004 by Prof. Dr. Rolf Hichert and has since been further developed by the IBCS Association. You can find out more about the history of IBCS here.
https://www.ibcs.com/de/ibcs-institute/
The SUCCESS formula
A core concept of IBCS is the SUCCESS formulawhich serves as a guideline for the design of reports and presentations. SUCCESS stands for the seven principles that form the basis for clear and comprehensible business communication:
Say (Simplify): Define what message you want to convey
Unify (Unify)Use consistent symbols, colors and terms to ensure uniformity of information.
CondenseSummarize information concisely to increase the efficiency of communication.
CheckMake sure that your presentation complies with IBCS standards and is easy to understand.
Express (expressing)Use clear and meaningful visualizations to convey the message effectively.
SimplifyReduce complex information to the essentials to avoid confusion.
StructureOrganize information logically and clearly for easy navigation.
To create reports, the order of the SUCCESS formula changes as follows:
- Unify
- Say
- Structure
- Express
- Simplify
- Condense
- Check
The SUCCESS formula divides the IBCS standard into 98 rules. These are evenly distributed across the individual sections of SUCCESS. These rules form the standardized basis for each report.
The SUCCESS formula offers a structured approach to creating standardized reports. At its core, the information is the answer to the requirement question.
The most important IBCS rules are already available as standard in Power BI with Zebra BI. This means that nothing stands in the way of standardized and informative reports.
Why IBCS is important
Applying the IBCS rules significantly improves the clarity and comparability of reports and dashboards. At a time when decisions often have to be made under great time pressure, it is crucial that information is understood quickly and clearly. The standardized presentation of data can prevent misunderstandings and interpretation errors.
Advantages of the IBCS standards
1. improved comparability: As reports are designed according to standardized rules, it is easier for decision-makers to directly compare reports from different sources. This leads to faster insight into critical business figures.
2. reduced complexity: By simplifying and structuring the presentation, the focus is placed on the essentials without losing important details. This saves valuable time when interpreting data.
3. increase in efficiency: A clearly structured report according to IBCS facilitates decision-making, as all relevant information is quickly accessible and easy to understand.
4. avoidance of misunderstandings: Consistent terms, symbols and colors reduce the risk of information being misinterpreted. This also includes cultural differences and language barriers, as the visual language is universal.
5. professionalization of the reporting system: The use of IBCS increases the professionalism and credibility of company reports. Customers, partners and internal stakeholders appreciate the transparency and clarity that comes with standardized reports.
IBCS in practice: How companies implement the standards
Companies that implement IBCS benefit not only from increased clarity and efficiency, but also from a sustainable improvement in internal and external communication. The introduction of IBCS training courses and corresponding tools such as the IBCS Notation Guide ensures compliance with the standards.
Here are some steps companies can take when implementing IBCS:
1. training courses and workshops:
To ensure that the IBCS principles are understood and applied by all those involved, training should be offered that covers both the theoretical principles and practical implementation.
2. introduction of IBCS-compliant templates:
Standardized templates that already take the IBCS rules into account can speed up and simplify implementation within the company. This ensures that new reports are structured correctly from the outset.
3. continuous review and optimization:
The IBCS standards should be regularly reviewed and adjusted as necessary to ensure that they continue to meet the needs of the organization and the changing business environment.
We are happy to support you with the introduction of IBCS-standardized reports in your company.
We would be happy to work with you to develop IBCS-standardized reports for your company. Arrange a non-binding consultation directly Appointment with our experts.
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Based on IBCS Version 1.2; https://www.ibcs.com/ibcs-standards-1-2/#ids[]=18796
© 2024 IBCS Association | www.ibcs.com with adaptations by Sven Börstinghaus - data4success GmbH.
Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 International.
