5 Ws of communication
A compact questioning frame to make any message decision-ready: Who, What, When, Where, Why (optionally How).
author
Journalism and classical rhetoric; popularised by Rudyard Kipling
Model type
About
Used by journalists and prosecutors for complete, non-leading briefs. It forces concretes before rhetoric and prevents gaps that derail decisions.
How it works – what to map
Who – actors, owners, stakeholders. Who decides? Who executes? Who is affected?
What – the fact or action. What outcome, scope, numbers, constraints?
When – timing and cadence. When is the decision/launch/review? What deadlines and SLAs?
Where – locus. Markets, channels, systems, legal entities, BU/site.
Why – rationale. Goal, economics, risks, alternatives considered.
(How) – approach at a high level. Method, resources, budget, governance.
What – the fact or action. What outcome, scope, numbers, constraints?
When – timing and cadence. When is the decision/launch/review? What deadlines and SLAs?
Where – locus. Markets, channels, systems, legal entities, BU/site.
Why – rationale. Goal, economics, risks, alternatives considered.
(How) – approach at a high level. Method, resources, budget, governance.
Use cases
Executive briefs & memos – one-pager that answers the decision maker’s first five questions.
Deal materials – kickoff notes, CIM fact checks, management Q&A prep.
Incident updates – crisp status pages and stakeholder emails.
Press releases & announcements – ensure completeness without fluff.
Product/design briefs – align teams before solutions spiral.
Deal materials – kickoff notes, CIM fact checks, management Q&A prep.
Incident updates – crisp status pages and stakeholder emails.
Press releases & announcements – ensure completeness without fluff.
Product/design briefs – align teams before solutions spiral.
How to apply
Write the six lines (5W + optional How) in plain sentences, numbers included.
Delete adjectives; keep verifiable facts and owners.
Promote gaps to questions and assign an owner/date to fill them.
Publish as the header of the doc, then expand detail below.
Delete adjectives; keep verifiable facts and owners.
Promote gaps to questions and assign an owner/date to fill them.
Publish as the header of the doc, then expand detail below.
pitfalls and cautions
Leading “why” – prefer “What led to… / What evidence shows…” to avoid defensiveness.
Numbers missing – “what” must include metrics (sizes, costs, dates).
Role ambiguity – “who” needs a single owner for next action.
Scope creep – keep “how” high-level; detail belongs in the plan.
Numbers missing – “what” must include metrics (sizes, costs, dates).
Role ambiguity – “who” needs a single owner for next action.
Scope creep – keep “how” high-level; detail belongs in the plan.