“What do all the words mean?” Asking that is a very powerful way to start working on a document that Product or Engineering requested, but for which they provided little more than a headline: “We need a document explaining how to cook fish in an office microwave”.

What do all the words mean?

• Why a microwave, and what is the importance of it being an office one?
• Why fish, specifically? What kind of fish? What state is the fish in before you start? Cause if it’s still in the river, this will be a long document.
• What does cook mean? By any chance do you just mean “reheat”? If not, how many different ways can you cook a fish in a microwave?
• Is there chips?

Then continue to two questions you should always keep in mind when you write:

• Who is reading this and why?
• What could go wrong?

Now you know what Product or Engineering meant with their headline, and it’s time to think of the users – and start writing. Consider using the why/so what or layering techniques, figure out the defaults, and learn as you work.