Why Your Explanations Might Be Terrible (and How to Fix Them)

Ever tried explaining something and watched someone’s eyes glaze over?

 

💤 Yeah, we’ve all been there.

According to Lee LeFever’s The Art of Explanation, the problem isn’t that people aren’t listening—it’s that we assume they already understand things the way we do. (Spoiler: They don’t.) 

How to explain without confusing people more

1️⃣ Start with the Big Picture  If you dive straight into the details, you’re basically giving someone GPS directions without telling them the destination. Set the stage first! 🗺️ 

2️⃣ Use Simple Language & Analogies  If you’re explaining AI and start with “a convolutional neural network is a deep learning architecture”, congrats, you just lost your audience.  Try instead: “AI learns like a toddler—by seeing patterns over and over.” See? Better. 😎 

3️⃣ Break it Down Step by Step  Imagine assembling IKEA furniture without the step-by-step manual. Nightmare, right?  Give people one piece of information at a time, in the right order.

4️⃣ Keep it Engaging  Ever sat through a lecture that made you reconsider all your life choices? 😵‍💫  Don’t be that person. Engage curiosity, tell a story, ask a question—anything to keep attention. 👀 

5️⃣ Use Visuals & Metaphors  People remember what they see and feel better than raw facts.  If PowerPoint slides with walls of text worked, we’d all be geniuses by now.  

Final Thought

 

Great explanations don’t happen by accident—they’re crafted with intention and empathy. 

So, next time you explain something, ask yourself: Would I understand this if I didn’t already know it?  If not, time for a rewrite. 😉