Write a Project Recap People Actually Want to Read
About this video
Jeff Su argues a project recap should not be maximally formal or exhaustive if no one reads past the first sentence, and walks through a template modeled on effective recaps from colleagues at work. Recaps help other teams copy ideas, create accountability against the original objectives, and build workplace presence by broadcasting achievements naturally. He recommends writing the recap in a shared work document rather than composing it directly in email, so a manager can review it, teammates can add input, and it can be copied next time. The document starts with the email title and To, CC and BCC lists, then the content on the second page so formatting pastes cleanly into Gmail. Content opens with a two to three sentence TL;DR with quantifiable results, followed by context, business impact against the original objectives with benchmarks, next steps, and takeaways and learnings limited to three highlights and three lowlights, ending with thank-yous.
Key takeaways
- Write the recap in a shared document first for easier manager review, team input, and reuse, and put the title and To, CC and BCC plan on the first page
- Open with a two to three sentence TL;DR containing quantifiable results so readers can decide whether to read on and leaders can grasp the outcome at a glance
- In the business impact section, restate the original objectives, share measurable results, add commentary, and include historical or industry benchmarks for context
- For takeaways, keep only activities tied to the original pain point, cap the section at three highlights and three lowlights, and get honest lowlights by asking colleagues what they wish you had done differently
- Thank executive sponsors, key contributors and the core team last, ask the working group to add names you might forget, put named individuals in To and CC the teams of key contributors
Episode details: published December 7, 2021 · 7:36 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Business results and any income figures mentioned are Jeff Su’s own claims, shared for education — they are not typical or guaranteed.
← Previous: Stand Out in the Workplace by Doing THIS! · Next: Send Personalized BULK Emails in Gmail (for FREE)! →
All Jeff Su videos · Jeff Su profile · Jeff Su (official site)
