Writing Technical Reports

Writing Technical Reports

Create structured technical analysis reports with timestamp-based naming and standardized sections.

File Naming Convention

Format: {timestamp}-{descriptive-kebab-case-name}.md

Generate timestamp:

date +"%y%m%d-%H%M%S"

Example: 250919-143915-cli-popover-styling-analysis.md

Document Template

Use this structure for all reports:

# [Analysis Title/Report Name]

**Date**: YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS
**Commit Hash**: [git commit hash if applicable]
**Analysis Scope**: Brief description of what was analyzed

## Executive Summary

High-level overview of findings, key conclusions, critical issues, and overall assessment.

## Key Findings

1. [Major discovery with technical details]
2. [Observed behavior or issue]
3. [Comparative analysis or specific problem]

## Root Cause Analysis

Deep dive into underlying causes:
- Investigation methodology
- Code examples demonstrating issues
- Systematic breakdown of problem origins

## Recommendations

1. [Specific actionable step - highest priority]
2. [Implementation strategy]
3. [Preventive measures for future]

Workflow

Copy this checklist when creating a report:

Report Progress:
- [ ] Step 1: Generate timestamp and get commit hash
- [ ] Step 2: Create file with proper naming
- [ ] Step 3: Add header metadata
- [ ] Step 4: Write executive summary
- [ ] Step 5: Document key findings
- [ ] Step 6: Analyze root causes
- [ ] Step 7: Provide recommendations

Step 1: Generate timestamp and commit hash

# Generate timestamp
date +"%y%m%d-%H%M%S"

# Get commit hash (if applicable)
git rev-parse HEAD

Step 2: Create file

Name the file using {timestamp}-{descriptive-name}.md and place in reports/ directory.

Step 3: Add header metadata

Use full ISO date format for the Date field. Include commit hash if analysis is tied to specific code state.

Step 4: Write executive summary

Start with the most important information. What should someone know if they only read this section?

Step 5: Document key findings

Number your findings. Include technical details, code examples with file paths, and specific observations.

Step 6: Analyze root causes

Explain why issues occurred. Include investigation process and evidence-based conclusions.

Step 7: Provide recommendations

List specific, actionable steps in priority order. Include implementation strategies.

Report Types

Debugging Reports:

• Focus on problem investigation
• Include reproduction steps
• Document debugging process
• Provide clear resolution path

Analysis Reports:

• Compare different implementations
• Evaluate technical approaches
• Assess code quality or architecture
• Provide improvement recommendations

Implementation Reports:

• Document completed work
• Analyze implementation decisions
• Record lessons learned
• Evaluate success metrics

Optional Sections

Add these sections when relevant:

• Methodology: How the analysis was conducted
• Test Results: Output from debugging or testing
• Performance Impact: Metrics or measurements
• Risk Assessment: Potential consequences of issues
• Related Analysis: Links to other relevant reports
• Appendices: Supporting data or detailed code examples

Writing Guidelines

Be evidence-based: Support conclusions with specific observations, code references, and test results.

Include context: Reference file paths with line numbers (e.g., src/components/Button.tsx:42), function names, and component hierarchies.

Show comparisons: Use before/after examples when documenting changes or improvements.

Stay objective: Focus on facts and technical details rather than opinions or assumptions.

Use consistent terminology: Pick one term for each concept and use it throughout the report.