(via Nicky Case:)
Pyramid Principle by Barbara Minto (article by @ameet & book) 1. Start with the answer first. 2. Group and summarize your supporting arguments. Restrict to 3 groups. 3. Logically order your supporting ideas.
Add line numbers during review for easy recall/communication. Or use apps (like Quip) that support inline commenting. Quip & Word have modes to display line numbers.
Check if your higher-order bit may interfere with the message you're conveying. You may have developed a reputation for a certain stance
The choice of words can make a difference in how a point of view is perceived. Examples are "hacks" have negative connotations, even though in many contexts it means a short-term fix or "Simplifiers". Same with "death tax" vs "estate tax", "Obama Care", "Freedom Act". This is known as Russell Conjugation or "emotive conjugation". See this twitter thread by @sriramk for similar issues in tech. Arnold Kling's The Three languages of Politics discusses a related concept in the context of politics, where the three major political groups ("Progressives", "Conservatives" and "Libertarians") speak in a codified language catered to their tribe/group - progressives with "oppressed/oppressors", conservatives with "civilization vs aggressorts", libertarians with "liberty vs coersion"
Don't feel compelled to finish in one sitting. Good docs take multiple iterations to write.
What type of docs? 1. Overview of architecture and design 2. Evaluating specific components
For #2, first get alignment from stakeholders on set of prioritized criteria for decision making. Build a matrix of options for rows and criteria as columns and assign a rating 0-5 for each cell and if necessary assign a weight for each column.