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Explain a technical issue in this order: conclusion → reason → example. Start with what is wrong or what the listener needs to know, describe the cause in familiar language, then show what the issue looks like in a specific situation. Add the practical impact or next step if it helps the listener act.
What is the conclusion–reason–example structure?
It is a short way to explain a problem without making someone wait through background details for the main point. The conclusion gives the result or user-facing impact; the reason explains why it is happening; and the example makes that explanation concrete.
- Conclusion: State the issue or finding first.
- Reason: Explain the cause in plain English, defining any technical term the listener needs.
- Example: Describe a specific situation that illustrates the cause or effect.
- Impact or next step: Add what the issue means for the listener or what they should do, when that is known and useful.
This point-first approach reflects guidance from the World Health Organization, which says, “People are more likely to trust and act on information they understand.”
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How do you explain the reason without losing accuracy?
Translate internal terminology into familiar words, but keep a technical term when it helps the listener understand or discuss the issue. Define it the first time you use it. The National Institutes of Health advises: “If a technical word is necessary to your message, use it — but include a definition.”
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Match the detail to your audience. A customer may need to know what is affected, what to try, and when to expect an update. A technical colleague may need a component name or diagnostic detail. The U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy recommends considering whether the audience has advanced subject knowledge and restating a technical conclusion plainly when needed.
Separate a confirmed cause from a possible one. If you are still investigating, say “may be caused by,” “probably,” or “we are still checking.” Do not state a suspected explanation as fact.
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What template can you use?
Adapt this pattern to the issue and listener:
The issue is [conclusion or effect]. This is happening because [reason in plain English]. For example, [specific scenario showing the effect]. This means [impact or next step].
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If the cause is not confirmed, make that uncertainty explicit:
The issue is [effect]. It may be caused by [possible reason], and we are checking. For example, [observed or clearly hypothetical scenario]. For now, [known impact or next step].
Use only the parts that help. If the listener does not need an action or update, the explanation can end after the example.
What does the structure look like in a real explanation?
This is an illustrative example, not a report of a real incident:
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The first sentence states the user-facing problem. The second gives a possible cause without presenting it as confirmed. The third shows a concrete effect, and the last gives a practical precaution while the cause is being checked.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How should you adapt the explanation to the listener?
- For a customer: Lead with what they may notice, explain the cause in familiar language, and give a workaround or next update only if it is known.
- For a technical colleague: Include the relevant component or diagnostic detail, but still state the result first and explain any term the colleague may not know.
- For a mixed audience: Give the plain-language conclusion first, then add a concise technical term with its definition.
Prefer direct descriptions of what a person sees or needs to do. For instance, “the app is taking too long to respond” is clearer to many readers than an unexplained internal label. CDC’s Get to the Point: Write for Immediate Understanding guidance likewise emphasizes putting the point early and explaining necessary technical terms.
How can you make the example useful?
Choose a specific situation that shows the reason or the effect the listener needs to understand. Keep it connected to the issue; an unrelated detail can distract or make the cause seem different from what it is.
Concrete examples can make abstract or complex ideas easier to follow, as described in Accessibility Standards Canada’s CAN-ASC-3.1:2025 Plain Language guidance. An example does not have to be an analogy. In technical explanations, a literal scenario is often safer because an analogy can distort how the system actually works.
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What should you check before sending the explanation?
- Does the first sentence tell the reader what is wrong or what matters?
- Is the cause confirmed, or have you clearly marked it as a possibility?
- Have you translated jargon and defined any necessary technical term?
- Does the example illustrate the stated reason or effect?
- Have you included only impacts and next steps supported by what you know?
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