Why reporting matters

Everyone knows reporting helps. But in many companies, people don’t really believe in it. Or they let it slip out of laziness. And laziness sits in all of us.

That’s why we need a culture of hard work. A culture that makes us do the things that matter, even when they feel uncomfortable. Only then can we achieve great things and stand out as an outlier — just like Oskar Pilch wrote in Becoming a culture-shifting outlier last week. Here, we take the same idea and apply it to our company.

We call this approach proactive reporting — and in this manifesto, we’ll show you what it means in practice.

‍

What we mean by proactive reporting

Proactive reporting means we don’t wait until someone asks, “How is it going?” or “What’s the status?” We take the initiative to share what’s happening — small steps and big updates alike.

It’s a short comment on a task when starting work, it’s a daily update on progress, and it’s a clear project status for the client. The difference from traditional reporting is simple: instead of being reactive, we always go first.

How it works in practice

On the daily level: a developer or designer explains in a comment how they plan to solve a task and reports back on progress, even if it’s not working yet. If everything is crystal clear, it’s enough to move the task to “in progress” and add a progress comment later.

On the project level: the Project Leader and KAM update the client without delay. The client doesn’t need to chase us for information — they should always know what’s happening.

Different pricing models require a different focus:

• Time&Materials – proactive reporting is 10x more important. Clients must see exactly what they’re paying for.

• Fixed Price – clients don’t need to see hours, but they should see steady progress and clarity on what’s done.

We’ve also written more about the difference between these models here: Fixed Price vs Time & Materials: Which one is better?

The benefits for clients

Proactive reporting is not “nice to have.” It directly changes the client experience:

• You always know what’s happening — no chasing, no guessing.

• You see problems early, when they can still be fixed.

• In T&M projects, you clearly see what you’re paying for.

• In Fixed Price projects, you see steady progress and can accept parts of the work early.

• Reporting fits perfectly with agile thinking — we adapt, learn, and deliver step by step.

Without this, the risks are obvious: silence, surprises, and doubt. That’s how trust breaks down.

The benefits for our team

For us as a team, proactive reporting makes work smoother and smarter:

• Fewer misunderstandings and less rework.

• Faster help when someone is blocked.

• Learning moments by sharing how tasks are approached, not just the results.

• Less stress — nobody has to wonder if they’re alone with a problem.

• A clear history of what happened, making it easier to onboard new people or revisit decisions later.

Without reporting, risks multiply: silent work, lost knowledge, repeated mistakes.

What we don’t accept

We don’t accept silent work for hours or days with no trace in the system. That creates doubt and slows everyone down.

We also don’t accept vague updates as a replacement for real communication. A quick “working on this” is fine for simple tasks — just to show you’re taking it. But with bigger tasks, it’s better to explain your plan or when you expect to finish.

Rule of thumb: if you’ve worked a few hours and there’s still no visible update, leave a note.

And finally, we don’t accept hiding blockers out of fear or pride. Share them early — that’s when they’re easiest to solve.

Proactive reporting and long-term partnerships

Long-term partnerships depend on trust. And trust depends on clarity. Proactive reporting is how we deliver that clarity, day after day.

Once you’ve worked with a company that communicates like this, it’s hard to go back to one that doesn’t. This is one of the reasons why our clients stay with us for years — because communication itself becomes part of the value we deliver.

Other benefits:

• Clients feel safer investing in bigger projects when communication is strong.

• Continuous reporting makes it easier to grow cooperation from a small job into a full digital strategy.

• Transparency lowers the barrier for feedback, so partnerships keep improving instead of getting stuck.

• It also lowers onboarding friction — new stakeholders can jump in and see the story right away.

• Decision times get shorter, and that compounds across years of collaboration.

That’s why proactive reporting isn’t just about one project. It’s how we build relationships that last.

A promise we make

This manifesto is for us and for our clients.

For us, it’s a daily reminder: don’t hide progress, don’t leave others guessing. Reporting is part of our craft.

For our clients, it’s a clear promise: you’ll always know what’s happening, you’ll see where your investment goes, and you’ll never be left in the dark.

If something feels unclear, tell us — because that means we’re not living up to our own standards.

Proactive reporting is our culture.

It’s how Rocksoft builds trust, delivers results, and becomes the kind of partner you want for the long run.

‍