Most technical writing advice is vague:
“Be clear.”
“Know your audience.”
“Structure your thoughts.”
“Edit more.”
All of that is true, and almost completely unhelpful when you’re staring at a blank document.
What most people need isn’t motivation.
They need a process.
So here’s a simple, repeatable framework you can use for almost any technical document, from a short how-to article to internal documentation to a full tutorial.
It’s not fancy.
It’s not complicated.
It works.
The 5-Part Clarity Framework
Every clear technical document answers five questions, in this order:
- Who is this for?
- What problem does it solve?
- How does it work?
- What should I do?
- What can go wrong?
If you can answer these, you can write almost anything clearly.
Let’s walk through each one.
1. Who Is This For?
Before you write a single sentence, define the reader.
Not “users.”
Not “developers.”
Not “the team.”
Be specific:
- A new hire in their first week?
- A busy manager skimming for decisions?
- A developer integrating an API for the first time?
- A customer stuck on step three?
This one decision shapes:
- Your vocabulary
- Your level of detail
- Your examples
- Your structure
If the reader isn’t clear, the document won’t be either. Regardless of the defined reader, don’t skip steps.
2. What Problem Does It Solve?
Every useful technical document exists to remove friction.
Ask:
“What’s broken, confusing, slow, or risky for the reader right now?”
Good answers sound like:
- “They can’t get this installed.”
- “They don’t know which option to choose.”
- “They keep making the same mistake.”
- “They don’t understand how these parts fit together.”
Write that problem in one sentence before you start drafting.
If the document doesn’t clearly solve that problem, it doesn’t need to exist yet.
3. How Does It Work? (The Mental Model)
This is where clarity is actually built.
Explain:
- The parts
- The flow
- The relationships
- The logic
Not with fancy words, but with simple models.
For example:
- “First this happens, then that happens.”
- “This part controls X, that part controls Y.”
- “If this fails, check here.”
- “These three things must be true before this works.”
You’re not just giving steps.
You’re giving the reader a map.
And maps reduce anxiety, mistakes, and support tickets.
4. What Should I Do? (The Action)
Now turn the model into instructions.
This is where:
- Steps
- Checklists
- Examples
- Screenshots
- Commands
- Decision paths
…belong.
A simple rule:
One step per action. One action per step.
Clarity here is about sequence and precision, not elegance.
Your job is to make the next correct action obvious.
Again, don’t skip steps.
5. What Can Go Wrong?
This is the difference between “nice” docs and trustworthy docs.
Good technical writing anticipates:
- Common mistakes
- Confusing scenarios
- Error messages
- Wrong assumptions
- Things that look right but aren’t
A short “Troubleshooting” or “Common Issues” section often saves more time than the entire rest of the document.
It also signals:
“We understand how this fails in the real world.”
That builds confidence.
How This Looks in Practice
Before writing:
- Write answers to the 5 questions in bullet points
- Don’t worry about wording
- Don’t worry about the order yet
Then:
- Turn those bullets into sections
- Turn sections into sentences
- Then edit for clarity and simplicity
You’ll feel less stuck because you’re no longer guessing what to say next.
Why This Works So Well
This framework:
- Reduces cognitive overload
- Forces clarity of purpose
- Centers the reader
- Prevents rambling
- Creates natural structure
- Scales from small docs to big ones
Most importantly, it turns writing from a mystery into a process.
Final Thought
Clear technical writing isn’t about talent.
It’s about sequence.
If you know who it’s for, what problem it solves, how it works, what to do, and what can go wrong, the document almost writes itself.
The rest is just polishing.