How to Write Clear, Task-Based Documentation Headings That Guide Readers

Effective documentation headings should tell a scanning reader exactly what a section contains, whether it covers a procedure, concept, reference, or recovery path. Task-based headings work best for procedural sections by naming the reader's goal or outcome, such as 'Configure the client with an API key' instead of the vague label 'Configuration'. Descriptive noun phrases are more appropriate for conceptual or reference sections, where verbs can feel awkward and misleading. Google's documentation style guide and the Diátaxis framework both recommend headings that reflect the reader's goal rather than broad topic labels. A simple test applies: if a reader cannot predict a section's subject from the heading alone, the label needs to be more specific.