Document Bitcoin Custody for Family Understanding as Context Capture

Contextual Documentation for Family Comprehension

This memo is published by CustodyStress, an independent Bitcoin custody stress test that produces reference documents for individuals, families, and professionals.

The Limits of Procedural Documentation

Documentation often focuses on what and where—what materials exist and where they are stored. This level of documentation helps locate components but does not explain why the system was designed as it was or how decisions should be made when things do not go as expected. The effort to document bitcoin custody for family understanding requires capturing context and reasoning, not just instructions and locations. Understanding-oriented documentation helps family members think through situations the documentation writer could not anticipate.

This document addresses the difference between procedural documentation and contextual documentation. Procedures tell someone what to do when everything matches expectations. Context helps someone adapt when reality differs from documented scenarios.

---

The Limits of Procedural Documentation

Step-by-step instructions work when conditions match the instructions exactly. Connect the hardware wallet. Enter the PIN. Open the software. Sign the transaction. If each step produces expected results, the procedure guides someone through successfully.

Real situations rarely match procedures exactly. The software interface has changed since the documentation was written. An error message appears that the procedures do not address. A step that worked in testing fails in the actual situation. Procedures are brittle against variation.

Procedures cannot anticipate every contingency. The documentation writer cannot imagine every possible problem. Some situations will arise that were never considered. A family member following procedures hits something unexpected and has no guidance for what to do next.

Absent understanding, people either give up or guess. Without context for why procedures are structured as they are, the family member cannot reason about alternatives. They cannot distinguish between variations that matter and variations that do not. They are stuck with either abandoning the attempt or taking actions they do not understand.

---

What Contextual Documentation Provides

Context explains why the system was built this way. Why a hardware wallet instead of a software wallet? Why this particular hardware wallet among options? Why these backup locations? Understanding the reasoning helps family members evaluate whether the reasoning still applies or whether changed circumstances call for different approaches.

Context identifies what matters most. Not all components are equally critical. Some redundancies exist. Some components can fail without catastrophe while others are essential. Knowing which is which helps prioritize attention when dealing with a complex situation under stress.

Context provides decision frameworks for unexpected situations. Rather than specific procedures for scenarios that might never occur, general principles guide judgment. "When uncertain, do not proceed" or "this person is trustworthy for consultation" gives family members a basis for action even in unanticipated circumstances.

Context conveys the holder's intent. What was the holder trying to achieve? What were they worried about? What mattered to them? Understanding intent helps family members make decisions consistent with what the holder would have wanted, even when specific instructions do not exist.

---

Capturing Context in Documentation

Design decisions should include their reasoning. "I chose this hardware wallet because..." "The backup is in this location because..." "I involved this person because..." Each choice had reasons. Recording those reasons preserves the thinking behind the structure.

Concerns and constraints at the time of decisions matter. Was the holder worried about theft, fire, family conflict, government action, or technical failure? Different concerns produce different structures. Knowing the concerns helps family members understand which aspects of the system address which risks.

Assumptions should be made explicit. The system assumes certain people are trustworthy. It assumes certain services will continue operating. It assumes certain technical knowledge exists or can be obtained. When assumptions are stated, family members can recognize when assumptions have changed and adjustment may be needed.

Alternative approaches considered but rejected deserve mention. Why not use an exchange? Why not a simpler setup? Why not involve a professional? Knowing what was considered and rejected helps family members avoid circling back to options the holder intentionally passed over, while also preserving the freedom to reconsider if circumstances have changed.

---

Levels of Understanding

Different family members may need different levels of understanding. A spouse who will manage ongoing custody needs deeper comprehension than an heir who will receive a one-time distribution. The person coordinating recovery needs different knowledge than someone merely participating.

Documentation can layer information for different audiences. A summary provides the essential overview anyone might need. Detailed sections address specific roles or scenarios. Technical appendices serve those who want or need the deepest understanding. Layered documentation lets readers go as deep as their needs require.

Some family members will not read documentation regardless of how well it is written. Acknowledging this reality, documentation might identify who else to contact if the reader feels overwhelmed. The document points to human resources that can supplement written information.

Understanding changes with circumstances. What seemed like unnecessary detail becomes urgent when that specific detail becomes relevant. Documentation that seems excessive today may prove essential later. Writing for the future reader who faces specific problems, not just the current reader who faces none, requires including information whose relevance is not yet apparent.

---

Maintenance and Version Control

Documentation becomes stale when systems change. The holder modifies the setup but does not update the documents. Family members rely on descriptions of a system that no longer exists. Stale documentation may be worse than no documentation if it misdirects effort.

Version tracking helps identify currency. Dates on documents show when they were written or updated. Version numbers indicate whether the document reflects the current system or an earlier iteration. Clear labeling lets family members assess whether they are working with current information.

Change logs preserve history that aids troubleshooting. What was different before? Why was a change made? If something stopped working, knowing what changed recently helps isolate the cause. Change history provides diagnostic context that point-in-time documentation lacks.

Storage of documentation requires its own consideration. Documents stored with the custody materials they describe may be lost along with those materials. Documents stored separately may become disconnected from the materials they reference. Multiple copies in multiple locations, kept synchronized, address both risks at the cost of maintenance burden.

---

The Documentation Paradox

Thorough documentation takes substantial time. Time spent documenting competes with time spent on other priorities. The holder who procrastinates on documentation may run out of time to complete it. Perfect documentation never written provides no value.

Incomplete documentation may provide false comfort. Knowing that documents exist, family members may assume those documents cover everything. Gaps in documentation go unnoticed until someone hits them. The existence of documentation obscures its insufficiency.

Too much documentation overwhelms readers. A binder full of detailed procedures may be set aside in favor of simpler but less accurate approaches. Documentation must balance completeness against usability. More is not always better if more discourages engagement.

Documentation tests imperfectly. Having someone read documentation and confirm understanding does not fully validate it. The reader may think they understand when they do not. Only actual use under real conditions truly tests whether documentation enables the actions it describes.

---

Beyond Written Documents

Video supplements written documentation for certain purposes. Seeing where something is located, how a device is operated, or how interfaces appear aids understanding in ways text alone cannot. Video captures visual and spatial information that descriptions struggle to convey.

Annotated hardware helps even without consulting documents. Labels on devices, notes stored with materials, and physical organization that reflects logical structure all communicate directly. The family member who finds clearly labeled materials needs less documentation to understand what they have found.

Trusted contacts extend documentation through human availability. Naming someone who can answer questions, even if that person is not a full participant in the custody arrangement, gives family members a resource when documents fall short. Human judgment supplements documented procedures.

Professional relationships documented for continuity provide another bridge. The attorney who drafted relevant documents, the accountant familiar with the holder's situation, or a bitcoin consultant who helped design the system may be able to assist family members. Identifying these relationships and how to activate them extends the documentation's reach.

---

Outcome

To document bitcoin custody for family understanding requires capturing context and reasoning, not just procedures and locations. Procedural documentation fails when real situations deviate from documented scenarios. Context helps family members adapt when procedures do not match reality.

Contextual documentation explains why the system was built as it was, what matters most, decision frameworks for unexpected situations, and the holder's intent. Recording design decisions, concerns, assumptions, and rejected alternatives preserves thinking that helps family members navigate complexity.

Documentation faces paradoxes: thoroughness requires time that may not be available, too much overwhelms while too little leaves gaps, and testing against real use is difficult. Supplements including video, physical annotation, trusted contacts, and professional relationships extend documentation beyond what written words alone can provide.

---

System Context

Examining Bitcoin Custody Under Stress

Documenting Bitcoin Custody

Bitcoin Letter of Instruction Family

← Return to CustodyStress