In July 2025, Apolitical hosted a dynamic and practical event titled "How to Write Better Briefings & Reports", bringing together over a thousand public servants from around the globe. The session featured expert insights from Mira Launspach Trépot, Director General of Transferable Skills at the Canadian School of Public Service, and Zoe Collier, a long-time UK civil servant and international trainer in policy communication.

Here are the five most impactful takeaways from the session.

1. Write for exhausted readers

Zoe Collier opened with a vivid image: decision-makers reading briefings late at night after 15-hour workdays.

With this in mind, she urged public servants to write with empathy. Recognise that ministers and executives may not be experts in the subject matter and need digestible, actionable content fast. Avoid jargon, keep it short, and front-load your recommendations.

As Zoe put it, when you're writing for really busy people, you need to write like an inverted Agatha Christie. Lead with “there’s a body in the library; the butler did it.” In other words, lead with your conclusion and save the details for later.

2. Plan before you write

Both speakers emphasised that jumping straight into writing is a common pitfall. Instead, take time to answer:

  • Who is this for?
  • Why am I writing it?
  • What decision or action should it enable?

Zoe reminded attendees: “This isn’t school. You can ask questions.” Seek clarity on the audience and the objective to avoid wasted effort and rewrites. A well-structured brief begins with understanding its goal.

3. Use the UTC framework to understand, translate and convince

Mira Launspach Trépot introduced the UTC framework, a simple yet powerful approach to briefing:

  • Understand: Grasp the core of the issue — not just the facts, but the implications and context.
  • Translate: Reframe technical or complex content into the decision-maker’s language, tailored to their role, knowledge, and needs.
  • Convince: Go beyond presenting information. Make a compelling case for a course of action, anticipating questions and consequences of inaction.

This framework reinforces that briefing is not just communication: it’s influence.

4. Know your audience

A standout theme was the importance of understanding who you're really writing for. Zoe highlighted that you’re not just briefing the minister; you're enabling them to brief others, whether it’s journalists, constituents, or Parliament. Mira expanded this by encouraging briefers to consider the decision-maker's experience, preferences, and communication style.

Understanding your audience helps you choose the right level of detail, tone, and structure. These are critical factors in successful briefings.

5. Build trust

Effective briefing is a trust-building exercise. Mira spoke about “trust capital”— the credibility you develop over time with decision-makers. It’s what allows you to push boundaries or simplify recommendations without second-guessing. But with that comes responsibility: if a decision-maker rejects your recommendation, reflect. Did you clearly convey the consequences? Was your brief well-matched to their needs?

Zoe added that poorly structured or jargon-heavy writing can raise suspicion while clear, plain language signals confidence and earns trust.

🎥 Want more?

If you’re hungry for more insights, don’t miss the highlights video embedded below — perfect for a quick dose of inspiration. For those who want the full experience, you can visit the event page here to access the complete recording, additional resources, and practical tools to take your writing to the next level.

The session featured two seasoned experts: Zoe Collier, a veteran policy advisor and international trainer with over 30 years of experience across the UK Civil Service and EU institutions; and Mira Launspach Trépot, Director General of Transferable Skills at the Canadian School of Public Service, where she leads learning on leadership, policy, and decision-making. You can find their full bios on the event page as well.

Final thought

Briefing is a critical public service skill — one that combines strategy, clarity, and empathy. As Mira reminded attendees, whether you're an aspiring executive or a specialist, your ability to brief well is central to influencing change and making government smarter.

To explore more resources and join future conversations, visit Apolitical’s Writing Effectively in Government community.

Join the community

This article was written with the help of AI using an anonymised transcript from the live session, and then edited by a human before publishing.