You’re preparing a presentation and the question comes up, “How much detail should I include?”
The answer is, “Just enough,” and that’s not a cop out, because there are so many different circumstances, audiences, and types of presentation.
For instance, when trying to convince an FDA Advisory Board that your drug is not more likely to cause adverse events in a particular population (say, African-Americans, or Asian-Americans) because the data seem to be suggesting just such an effect, you better be prepared to drill down into outcomes in those groups. That’s a whole lot of detail.
However, if you are trying to convince your field force that the coming year will be particularly challenging, and then you list each challenge, both internal and external, and go into detail on the causes and consequences of each one, with a bullet point slide or two for each problem, each cause, and each consequence, you are bound to outstay your welcome on the porches of their ears. They will swiftly and invisibly sweep you from their porches, and return to pondering the mysteries of their iPhones.
On the other hand, if you make a prediction or a recommendation to senior decision makers, and you fail to expand upon the various options you considered and the reasons why you rejected all but one, you will be peppered with skeptical questions. People like solid ground on which to make a stand, and your opinions unbuttressed by facts will cause them to pause and doubt the wisdom of your choice and your judgment.