Reasons That Can Be Answered
Article by Ayman Fouad Abdelgawad
A decision letter says that the outcome follows careful consideration. The phrase may be accurate, but the reader cannot tell what was considered decisive.
An explanation becomes useful when it identifies a proposition that can be understood and, where appropriate, challenged. Perhaps a document was missing. Perhaps two accounts conflicted. Perhaps an agreed criterion carried more weight than another.
Specific reasons expose a decision to correction. That vulnerability is part of their value. A mistaken date can be supplied; an overlooked passage can be identified. General assurances leave the recipient arguing with a conclusion that has no visible route into it.
There are circumstances in which some information cannot be disclosed. Even then, the question remains how much of the reasoning can be made intelligible. The standard should be an explanation that helps someone understand the outcome, rather than language that merely confirms that an outcome exists.