All types of reports serve the same goal: explaining the findings and the steps that were applied to arrive at the findings. Forensic investigations are complex, and the results of an investigation are typically reported to a non-technical audience, whether it is an internal investigation or an investigation involving the legal system. A report is a tool that summarizes the salient points of the entire forensic investigation in a logical and accessible way. While Big Data investigations are complex, the report should be simple and understandable by any audience, so they understand the steps performed from identification through collection and analysis and the findings are supported by the investigator's interpretation of the results. The report should be developed with the audience in mind and an awareness of how to explain the technical concepts to a non-technical audience.

Reports can be made more accessible and understandable for a general audience by including certain...