Less Is More: From Psychology to Technical Writing

Less Is More: What Kahneman Teaches Us About Technical Writing

In Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman reveals something every technical writer should know: the mind prefers coherence over completeness.

When we read, we constantly build quick mental models of what’s happening. If a message is clear, we trust it. If it’s cluttered or contradictory, we tune out—even if it’s accurate. That’s why less is more isn’t just an aesthetic principle. It’s a cognitive truth.

Colorful Toothed Wheels

Good documentation works with human cognition, not against it. Minimalism, as refined by researchers like Hans van der Meij and John Carroll, is how we apply that truth in practice.

System 1 and System 2: The Two Readers in Every Mind

Kahneman describes two modes of thinking:

System 1: fast, intuitive, automatic
System 2: slow, deliberate, analytical

When readers open documentation, they start in System 1. They’re skimming, looking for quick cues — headings, examples, or one command to copy and run. If something breaks or feels unclear, System 2 wakes up to analyze, compare, or debug.

Most users don’t read documentation linearly; they scan, act, and adjust. That’s why minimalist writing feels natural: it aligns with how our minds actually process information.

How System 1 Shapes the Reader’s First Impression

System 1 doesn’t read; it glances. It forms a judgment in seconds:

“Can I find what I need?” “Does this look trustworthy?”

At this stage, your job isn’t to explain — it’s to make orientation effortless.

Short, task-based titles signal clarity.
Action-first examples invite success:
```
deploy
```
Deploy your app in one step.
White space and hierarchy help readers spot structure without thinking.

This satisfies System 1’s craving for coherence — a story that feels right before it’s even fully understood.

How System 2 Demands Depth and Precision

Once the reader slows down, System 2 takes over. This is where detail, accuracy, and logical order matter. Readers start asking: Why? What happens if I change this?

This is where layering and progressive disclosure protect your clarity from oversimplification.

Layer	Cognitive Mode	Purpose
Top layer	System 1	Clear action and core idea
Middle layer	Transition	Context, rationale, structure
Deep layer	System 2	Full references, exceptions, edge cases

By structuring docs this way, you honor both readers:

System 1 gets a quick, coherent path to success.
System 2 finds the logical depth it needs when curiosity or confusion kicks in.

Why “Less” Works: Cognitive Economy

Kahneman’s research on cognitive load explains why minimalism works so reliably in documentation:

The mind is lazy by design — it conserves energy by simplifying.
Every extra word or paragraph is a mental toll.
The easier it is to process information, the more credible it feels.

That’s why concise documentation builds trust faster than exhaustive explanation. When readers can grasp the core idea instantly, their System 1 rewards them with confidence — and confidence keeps them engaged.

When “Less” Becomes “Not Enough”

Of course, minimalism can go too far. If the main layer omits essential context, readers hit cognitive dissonance — System 1 says “this feels easy,” but System 2 says “wait, something’s missing.”

Hans van der Meij’s minimalist heuristics prevent that collapse:

Action first – Give readers something they can do immediately.
Anchor in real tasks – Use examples drawn from genuine workflows.
Support error recovery – Anticipate mistakes; show how to fix them fast.
Write for multiple modes of reading – Skim, study, or locate.

These principles ensure less never becomes less useful.

Designing Documentation for Two Minds

Kahneman gives us a lens to test our docs:

Question	Cognitive Focus	Editing Check
Can readers grasp the goal instantly?	System 1	Simplify, rephrase, front-load
Do explanations appear where curiosity peaks?	System 2	Layer detail, not overload it
Can readers recover easily from mistakes?	Both	Inline error support
Does the structure mirror real actions?	Both	Task-based organization

If a page satisfies both systems, it’s not just readable — it’s thinkable.

The Deeper Lesson: Tell the Right Story

Kahneman’s insight was never about writing — but it might as well have been. A good story feels true because it’s easy to follow. Good documentation works the same way: it feels usable because it’s easy to think through.

Minimalism and layering simply translate that psychology into structure and language. They ensure that “less is more” never becomes “less is not enough.”

TL;DR for Technical Writers

System 1 reads fast: make your core message visible, actionable, and coherent.
System 2 thinks deeply: provide depth and rationale through layering.
Minimalism works because it matches how humans manage cognitive load.
The goal isn’t to say less — it’s to make thinking effortless.