An RFC that nobody reads is worse than no RFC at all — it creates a false sense of consensus. The goal isn't to document your decision exhaustively; it's to make the decision legible to people with different contexts, concerns, and time constraints. A good RFC respects the reader's attention.

The Structure That Works

Lead with the problem, not the solution. State the proposal in one paragraph. List alternatives you considered and why you rejected them. End with open questions. Most readers will only read the first two sections — make those count. Put implementation details in an appendix for the people who need them.