<cause> short description

While writing the topics for the <diagnostics> proposal stage 3, I was looking at the topics for the rest of the troubleshooting topic elements to ensure I modelled the writing there.

 

<cause> is described as follows:

 

The <cause> element
 describes a potential source of the problem that is described in the <condition> element,
 the topic <title> element, or the <shortdesc> element.
 This information should be brief; if it is not possible to make the information brief, this might be a sign that a full troubleshooting topic is needed.

 

 

I donât understand the last sentence, after the semi-colon. <cause> is part of a full troubleshooting topic. What is it trying to tell me to do if my cause
 is long?