Writing Recovery Procedures That Non-Technical Signers Can Follow
A 2-of-3 multisig arrangement with three signers of varying technical comfort is the standard configuration we document. The recovery procedure must work when the most technical signer is unavailable — not when the most technical signer is present.
Start with the trigger event
Every recovery path in our binders opens with a plain statement of the situation:
- “Signer A’s hardware wallet is lost or destroyed”
- “Signer B is hospitalised and cannot attend a signing session”
- “An estate transfer requires a new signer to assume duties”
The trigger determines which subsequent steps apply. We never write a single generic recovery section — each contingency gets its own numbered path.
One action per step
Technical writers tend to combine actions: “Connect the device, enter your PIN, and navigate to the sign transaction screen.” We split these into separate numbered steps with a checkbox beside each. Signer C, who has never connected a hardware wallet, can stop after any step and call another signer without losing their place.
Name the device, not the brand category
Instead of “use the backup device,” we write “use the Ledger Nano X stored in the fireproof safe in the master bedroom closet, shelf 2.” Specificity prevents the wrong device from being used in a high-stress moment.
Include a “stop and call” step
Every recovery path includes at least one step that reads: “If you reach this point and are uncertain, stop. Contact [Signer X] at [phone number]. Do not proceed alone.” This is not a failure state — it is a designed safety valve.
Test with the least technical signer
Before binding, we ask the least technical signer to read the recovery path aloud and explain each step in their own words. If they cannot, we rewrite. This test has caught ambiguous instructions in roughly one-third of our drafts.
What recovery procedures exclude
Our recovery paths describe how to use existing devices and backups. They do not explain how to set up new wallets, purchase replacement hardware, or move funds to exchanges. Those actions require separate decisions and often legal consultation.
For a complete custody binder with tested recovery paths, see our Shared Custody Documentation Package.