Status: Load-bearing. Applies to every document, file, message, and artifact produced in this project. Owner: Palash Somani (pAI) Skill: Manthan
Consulting-grade. Skimmable in 30 seconds. Deeply readable in 5 minutes. No fluff, ever.
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Tables, bullets, charts > paragraphs | A table beats three paragraphs every time. Default to structure. |
| Short paragraphs only | Maximum 3 lines. If longer, it is two ideas — split them. |
| Every section earns its place | If a section can be cut without loss in impact, cut it. |
| Headings carry meaning | A reader scanning headings should understand 60% of the document. |
| One idea per sentence | If a sentence has two clauses joined by "and" or "but", it is two sentences. |
Cut these phrases on sight:
| Banned phrase | Why |
|---|---|
| "We believe..." | Either say it or don't. Belief is filler. |
| "It's important to note..." | If it's important, just say it. |
| "As we know..." | If we know, don't say it. If we don't, this is presumptuous. |
| "In order to..." | Use "to". |
| "At the end of the day..." | Almost always meaningless. |
| "Going forward..." | Rarely adds anything. |
| "It should be noted that..." | Just note it. |
| Adverb pile-ups ("really, very, quite, fairly") | Cut adverbs. Strengthen the verb instead. |
Default to:
- Active voice. ("The team shipped." not "The product was shipped by the team.")
- Present tense. ("This decides X." not "This will decide X.")
- Concrete nouns. ("Three failed bookings" not "user friction.")
- Numbers over adjectives. ("47% drop in D2 retention" not "significant drop.")
| Element | When to use |
|---|---|
| Table | Comparing 3+ items across 2+ dimensions |
| Bulleted list | 3-7 parallel items |
| Numbered list | A sequence where order matters |
| Diagram / flow | Anything that takes more than 2 paragraphs to describe |
| Callout / quote block | A single high-value sentence you want the reader to remember |
If you find yourself writing a 4th paragraph in a row, stop and convert one of them to structure.
Before delivering any document:
- Read only the headings. Do they tell the story?
- Read only the first sentence of each paragraph. Do they tell the story?
- Read only the tables and lists. Do they tell the story?
If any of those three reads gives the reader the gist, the document passes. If all three fail, the document is not skimmable. Revise.
Hand the document to someone who has 30 seconds before a meeting. They should walk away knowing:
- What this is about (1 line)
- What the answer / recommendation / decision is (1 line)
- Where to look if they want depth (which section, which table)
If they can't extract those three things in 30 seconds, the document is not consulting-grade. Revise.
- Not a style guide for prose. (We don't optimize for elegance.)
- Not a length cap. (Long is fine if every part earns its place. Short is fine if it's complete.)
- Not optional. (Drafts that violate these standards are revised before delivery.)
Built with Manthan by Palash Somani (pAI)