Board documents should be clear and concise, with high levels of insight. Drilling down to operational detail should only be done when it’s necessary to make strategic decisions. Utilizing charts or graphs to summarize data or information trends is a great method of presenting information at a lower level. In an appendix, it is important to include a hyperlink for more technical details or statistics.
The paper should state the purpose (information or discussion or seeking a resolution) and include a brief executive summary that provides the recommendations. Ideally, the executive summary should be no more than 4 – 5 lines.
The paper should outline the major risks and issues in the proposed proposal. If the risk is significant an effective mitigation plan and its impact should be determined. It is crucial to include the possibility of future risks if the proposal is not fully implemented or if it is not achieved even it is thought to be low.
The paper should present a range of options that were considered in the decision-making process and provide a summary of pros/cons or explain how the most preferred option scored against the relevant decision criteria. It is essential to include an alternative analysis because it provides the Board several options to consider when carrying out their governance responsibilities. This will ensure that they have considered all possible outcomes.
https://boardroomofficial.com/guide-to-board-decision-papers/