Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation: A Message Format
In many workplaces, misunderstandings don't happen because people lack knowledge or good intentions. They happen because important information gets shared in a scattered, incomplete, or confusing way. One widely used structured approach, originally developed in healthcare and now used across many industries, is a simple four-part format.
State the situation: what's happening right now. Give the background: what information is relevant to understanding it. Share your assessment: what you think the actual problem is. Offer a recommendation: what action you think should happen next.
Rather than presenting scattered details and hoping the listener pieces them together, this structure focuses attention on exactly what matters, in an order that supports a fast, clear decision. It is especially useful when reporting a problem, handing off a project, discussing a risk, presenting a recommendation, or leading a meeting where time and clarity both matter.
Take a patient handover. A nurse finishing her shift needs to hand off a patient's care to the incoming nurse. Instead of a vague "the patient isn't doing very well today," she uses the structured format. Situation: "His blood pressure has dropped significantly in the last hour." Background: "He had surgery yesterday and experienced moderate blood loss." Assessment: "I believe he may be developing internal bleeding." Recommendation: "I recommend notifying the surgeon immediately and preparing additional blood tests." The incoming nurse immediately understands the urgency and acts without delay.
The same structure works in an ordinary office. A project manager notices a software project falling behind schedule. Rather than telling her team "everything is becoming a mess," she states the situation: the mobile app is currently two weeks behind schedule. She explains what changed since the original plan was made, identifies what she believes is actually causing the delay, and proposes a specific, concrete next step. The team responds to a clear problem statement instead of a vague expression of stress, and the conversation moves directly into problem-solving instead of circling the issue.
Before your next important update, try writing four sentences, one for each part. If you can't write the assessment or the recommendation, you may not be ready to send the message yet.