Make a document easier to scan

A document can be short and still difficult to scan. If every paragraph looks alike and headings say only ‘Overview’ or ‘More information’, a reader has to inspect the whole text to locate a specific answer. Structure should reveal the subject before the reader commits to each paragraph.

Give headings information

Use headings that identify the question, action or topic below them. ‘What the review includes’ is more useful than ‘Our approach’ when the section explains deliverables. Keep the wording proportionate: a heading should guide the reader, not become a second paragraph or repeat a promotional claim.

Make the heading hierarchy reflect the argument. Do not choose levels only for their visual size. A subsection should belong to the section above it. If every point appears at the same level, readers lose the relationship between a main decision and its supporting detail.

Give paragraphs a centre

A paragraph is easier to scan when its opening establishes the point. Separate a change of subject rather than forcing several unrelated ideas into one block. However, avoid breaking every sentence into a paragraph; that can make an explanation feel fragmented and obscure how ideas connect.

Use lists for genuine sets of comparable items or sequences, not as a default replacement for prose. A list of required documents is useful. A paragraph describing a trade-off may be clearer as connected sentences. Choose the form that exposes the relationship among the ideas.

Reserve emphasis for distinctions that matter. If half the page is bold, bold no longer helps someone locate the important information. Do not use colour alone to carry a critical distinction, and have accessibility and document structure checked in the final format where relevant.

For a hypothetical project summary, make the decision, rationale and next action separately findable. A reader checking the action should not have to read the full history, while someone questioning the decision should still be able to find its basis. Good scanning does not mean removing all depth.

Inspect the document at its actual reading size, including a narrow screen if it will be read digitally. Long headings, dense tables and wide lines may behave differently from the drafting view. Ask someone to locate a particular answer without reading from the beginning. Their route through the document reveals whether the structure is doing useful work.