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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/47768
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Often while writing a software requirement/change-request documentation, I need to include the quoted requirements descriptively, the impacted modules, the changes provided both in UI and in logic. While writing this out, the document often tends to get big (mostly 1000-4000 words - 5 to 7 pages of MS word). I make sure that nothing extra, needless or redundant points get added in the document. I also ensure proper formatting of the document for easy skimming and parsing of the reader with suitable visual aids, hyperlinks and supported citations (for further references). Still, what's required is required and I can't omit out the important details out of it.

I need to be concise but at the same time, I need to include everything that is required. And here I feel a standoff because I can't reduce the length of my document just because the end-readers feel it lengthier, and I can't keep the lengthy document because no-one would effectively read it up. How to tackle this standoff?

What I tried?

1. I create powerpoint presentation to showcase the changes and notifying all the changes verbally using that powerpoint in the meeting. 
2. I tried to divide the internal requirements into phases and modules and for each of them, created separate documents.

What happened?

1. Creating powerpoint presentation and explaining stuff to team worked initially however, after a few time intervals there was nothing official on hand with us that could re-state the information/requirement. Maintaining the powerpoint was more cumbersome than the document. Plus, I had to write the document as well for official housekeeping and exchange amongst stakeholders. So it increased my time.

2. Some changes/features are big intrinsically and isn't possible to divide in sub-modules. So this doesn't work as well.

Original score: 4