Step-by-Step Procedural Format
For how-to queries, an ordered sequence of verb-led instructions preceded by prerequisites and an expected duration.
Analogy Mental model
Flat-pack assembly instructions: which screw, which tool, what it should look like when finished, and not one sentence of reflection.
In practice What you actually do
Open with what the reader needs and how long it takes, then number each step with a verb first and keep it to two or three sentences. Structured instructions are read as a sequence by both people and machines, and the markup exists for them.
Where people get burned Pitfalls
Running steps together with firstly, secondly, and then in a paragraph destroys the sequence. Each step needs to be its own list item or heading for the order to survive extraction.
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