Principle
Split a message when it asks for unrelated decisions
Bundling saves sending effort but increases routing ambiguity.
When it fits
- One long message asks different people to decide unrelated things.
When to avoid it
- Do not fragment tightly coupled choices that need a shared trade-off; split only when independent closure improves coordination.
Why it matters
Keep one dominant coordination job per message or section. If two decisions have different owners, deadlines or evidence, split them into separate messages or clearly isolated sections so each can close independently.
An example
A design approval and a production access request become separate asks because different people own them.
Check your result
Each decision can be answered without resolving an unrelated issue.
Keep this limit in mind
- Do not fragment tightly coupled choices that need a shared trade-off; split only when independent closure improves coordination.
Connected ideas
Useful withPut owner, output and deadline on the same line
Evidence and sources
CDC guidance recommends lists, chunks and descriptive headings to make information easier to scan and organize.
Very short messages may not need headings; structure should match complexity.
Description and Examples of Index Items · Core items 8 through 10
ONS guidance recommends writing around user needs, removing content that does not serve those needs, and using concise task-focused headings.
Regulated or audit-heavy work may require context that feels redundant to the immediate reader.
Writing and editing: Plain language · Put users' needs first; titles and headings; be concise