Two ways to start thinking about the value of reports:

First:

Take a regular report produced in your organisation and find out:

• how much time is taken in preparation
• where it goes
• whether decisions are made on receiving it

Do not take ‘to know what’s going on’ as a valid reason for receiving a report. ‘Knowing what is going on’ is not taking action. You must focus on what actions follow from receiving reports.

Then a harder question: Are the actions taken based on knowledge?

Second:

Go to the IT department and find out what demands are made for reports (which are generated from the IT system).  Note:  include all ‘routine’ reports as sometimes they have become ‘routine’ simply because no-one has asked whether they are still needed.

Follow the reports and ask the same questions as before.