The Art of Explanation

ros atkins' the art of explanation how to communicate with clarity and confidence imagine giving a presentation, but instead of engaging your audience, you notice them discreetly checking their phones.

or you're writing an essay, and though the word count is growing, your argument feels increasingly lost in the text.

these are common situations where the information you want to convey, whether interesting or not, just isn't quite hitting the mark.

so, what can you do?

the answer is simple.

learn the art of explanation.

in this chapter, you'll discover the secrets behind making even the most complicated ideas clear, engaging, and impossible to ignore.

imagine being able to captivate your listeners or readers just like a seasoned broadcaster, breaking down intricate topics with ease and precision.

luckily, mastering this art involves only five simple actions, and those are understanding the anatomy of a good explanation, identifying your audience, crafting your explanation, adapting your explanation to surprises, and most importantly, keeping it as brief as possible.

so whether you're giving a presentation, writing a report, or simply trying to explain a tricky concept to a friend, this chapter will equip you with the five key strategies to make your message stick.

ready to become a master of clear communication?

then let's get started.

a good explanation comprises ten key elements.

when apple engineers first presented steve jobs with a prototype of the ipod, he famously declared, not small enough.

the engineers insisted that making it smaller would be technically impossible.

jobs responded by tossing the device in a nearby fish tank and pointing to the air bubbles that escaped from the submerged prototype.

if there's room for air, he said, then it can be made smaller.

the engineers took the hint, and the ipod was ultimately slimmed down.

so how can you deliver explanations that are as succinct and impactful as jobs?

the secret lies in understanding the anatomy of a good explanation, which includes ten key components.

effective explanations will often display most, if not all, of these elements.

simplicity is the foundation.

short words and sentences create the least obstacles to understanding.

always ask yourself, is this the simplest way to convey my message?

cut out unnecessary information and simplify complex terminology.

however, simplicity doesn't mean brevity at the expense of meaning.

you're eliminating what's superfluous, not cutting essential content.

next comes essential detail.

a simple explanation can still be detailed.

detail is your currency.

it's how you provide valuable information.

this might mean including certain facts that give your explanation depth without overwhelming the listener.

which leads us to complexity, which can often be a double-edged sword.

a good explanation neither shies away from necessary complexity nor bogs down the listener with irrelevant details.

to distinguish between essential and unnecessary complexity, you must fully grasp the subject matter yourself.

only then can you distill it into an understandable form for your audience.

this is where efficiency and precision come in, and they're especially crucial in today's fast-paced world.

everyone has limited time, so be mindful of how much time you're taking and aim to deliver your message in the fewest words that still capture the full meaning.

you can achieve this through focusing on precision, which will ensure that your audience receives the message you intend without confusion.

next, context adds depth to your explanation.

it's not enough to present facts, you must also explain why they matter.

providing context helps your audience see the bigger picture and understand the relevance of what you're saying.

but be sure to avoid distractions by clarifying unfamiliar concepts.

if people don't understand the basic ideas you're discussing, they'll get distracted trying to figure them out.

to engage your audience, identify moments where they might become confused or bored and rework those sections.

keep them interested by being dynamic and responsive to their needs.

our eighth key element is that an explanation should always be useful.

the best explanations address a specific need or question.

anticipate what your audience might want to know and craft your explanation to meet those needs directly.

and finally, clarity is key.

be clear about your main message.

if you're uncertain, your audience will pick up on that.

identify your key points and ensure that every part of your explanation supports them.

by incorporating these ten elements – simplicity, essential detail, complexity, efficiency, precision, context, no distractions, engagement, usefulness and clarity of purpose – you can make your communication more effective, engaging and memorable.

no fish tanks required.

sometimes, we're crystal clear about who our target audience is and what they expect from us.

for example, when launching a new product, delivering a keynote speech or pitching a tv show, you would meticulously identify your target demographic and tailor your message to them.

but in other situations, we often overlook who's on the receiving end of our communication.

this oversight is one of the main reasons our explanations can miss the mark.

whether you're preparing for a performance review or finalizing holiday plans with your family, asking yourself five key questions can help define your audience and craft an explanation that truly resonates.

who am i talking to?

first, identify your audience.

are you speaking to students at a school or healthcare professionals at a hospital?

once you've pinpointed this, delve into the specifics.

for instance, if you're at a school, consider the age group or grade level.

are they majoring in specific subjects?

if you're at a hospital, what are the medical staff's areas of expertise?

understanding who you're addressing is the foundation for crafting a relevant and effective explanation.

how much do they know?

next, assess your audience's knowledge level.

what do they already know about the topic?

what more do they need or want to learn?

if you know your audience well, this might be easy to gauge.

if not, find ways to assess their knowledge, like asking, who here is familiar with the history of nato?

or, has anyone here made sourdough bread before?

tailoring your explanation to their level of understanding ensures you're neither overwhelming nor underestimating them.

how do they like to receive information?

different groups have different preferences for receiving information.

for example, while baby boomers might still watch the nightly news, gen z gets their updates from tiktok.

knowing your audience's preferred medium can make a big difference.

if your boss prefers communicating through slack rather than email, delivering your message in their preferred format will likely be more effective.

how can you make the information personal to your audience?

people are more receptive to messages that feel personally crafted for them.

even if you're addressing a large group, avoid sounding generic.

instead of saying, boosting listener engagement is important, try, as podcasters, you know just how crucial listener engagement is.

tailoring your message in this way helps create a stronger connection with your audience.

how can i convey my credibility?

finally, consider how you can establish your credibility.

sometimes your reputation precedes you, but other times you'll need to earn your audience's trust from the start.

ask yourself, what can i do to demonstrate my credibility?

in a job interview, this might mean showcasing industry knowledge, while at a comedy open mic, it might involve landing a strong joke early on.

whatever the scenario, proving your credibility is key to persuading your audience.

by running through these five questions, you can better define your audience and craft explanations that truly resonate, no matter the situation.

seven steps to a well-crafted explanation crafting a great explanation is an art, whether you're preparing for a presentation, an appointment or a meeting.

the good news is that with some planning, you can consistently deliver powerful and persuasive explanations.

here are seven steps to guide you through the process.

step 1.

set up.

start by clarifying what you want to explain.

ideally, you should be able to sum up your key point in a single sentence.

next, consider your audience.

are they experts or do they have a basic understanding of the topic?

simply checking in with yourself about the purpose and audience of your explanation sets you up for success.

step 2.

gather information.

whether you're well-versed in the topic or exploring it for the first time, you need to gather the facts that will underpin your explanation.

start with primary sources like hard data, test results or statistics.

for example, the bbc world service follows a two-source rule to ensure reliability by verifying information with at least two reputable sources.

consider including different perspectives to add depth or present alternative viewpoints.

step 3.

distill information.

once you have your data, it's time to distill it down.

ask yourself, is this relevant?

does it support my main point?

you want to keep only the most pertinent information.

for example, if you're explaining a complex process, cut out the extraneous details that might confuse your audience.

the goal here is clarity and focus.

step 4.

organize information.

now that you have the essential information, it's time to organize it.

sort it into strands with each strand representing a key aspect of your explanation.

you might have two or ten strands, depending on the complexity of your topic.

don't forget to create a strand for high-impact information that will grab attention and another for leftover details that don't quite fit.

play around with the order of your strands until you find a flow that tells your story effectively.

step 5.

link your information.

this is where you start writing.

use linking techniques to guide your audience through your explanation.

for instance, try trailing one section into the next.

if you're wondering how we achieved that uplift, i'll explain next.

surface the structure of your explanation by signposting key points.

so far, we've discussed x and y. now let's move on to z. these techniques help maintain your audience's attention and make your explanation easier to follow.

step 6.

tighten.

with your draft written, it's time to polish.

read your explanation aloud as you edit.

this helps you catch awkward phrasing and refine your points for maximum impact.

be ruthless.

cut any unnecessary words or redundant information.

step 7.

focus on delivery.

finally, think about how you'll present your information.

what visuals will you use?

bullet points, graphs or diagrams can enhance understanding.

mark any pauses or moments you want to emphasize in your script.

rehearse your delivery and time yourself to ensure you stay within your allotted time.

by following these seven steps, you'll be well on your way to crafting explanations that are clear, compelling and memorable.

adapt your explanation for unpredictable settings.

delivering a great explanation in a dynamic situation such as a job interview, performance review or spontaneous meeting can be challenging.

unlike controlled scenarios where you have time to prepare, these situations demand that you think on your feet while maintaining precision, clarity and succinctness.

so how can you craft a compelling explanation on the fly?

interestingly, the same seven steps that work for a pre-prepared explanation apply here too, just with a few key adjustments.

even when you know you'll be thrown into a dynamic scenario, the first three steps remain the same.

start by clarifying what you'll need to explain and to whom.

next, gather your information from reliable sources.

and finally, distill this information down to the essentials.

this groundwork will give you a solid foundation to draw from when you're put on the spot.

once you've gathered your information, it's time to organize it into strands, just like you would in a controlled scenario.

but here's the twist.

in dynamic situations, you need to keep your information memorable.

limit yourself to five pieces of information per strand.

for example, if you're preparing for a job interview, a strand might include your extensive experience across different types of events, specific facts such as your work as a freelance event organizer in five countries, your responsibilities in budgeting, staffing and marketing, a recent achievement like organizing a 2,000-person conference, and the context that you were recently promoted to head of events in your current role.

establishing these strands ahead of time ensures you have concise, structured information at your fingertips, making it easier to recall under pressure.

practice makes perfect, so it's important to verbalize your strands.

start by talking through each strand individually.

then practice connecting them using bridging phrases like that's the area i'd emphasize, another is, or this also links to… this drill will help you smoothly navigate between different points during your explanation, keeping your audience engaged and your thoughts organized.

to make sure your explanations are seamless, use memory techniques like chunking, where you group information into manageable pieces, the story technique, which involves weaving facts into a narrative, or the memory palace, where you associate information with specific locations in an imaginary space.

these techniques help anchor your thoughts so they're easily accessible when needed.

one of the most intimidating aspects of dynamic scenarios is the unpredictability of questions.

while you can't control what questions will be asked, you can anticipate them.

start by listing questions you're likely to be asked, and move on to those you'd rather avoid.

do some research on the people who will be asking the questions.

if you can, gather insights that might hint at the kind of questions they might ask.

once you have your list, plan out responses for each question.

dynamic situations may be unpredictable, but with thorough preparation using these steps you'll be well equipped to deliver a clear, confident explanation, no matter what's thrown your way.

brief is, sometimes, better.

life moves quickly, and we often find ourselves short on time.

while a thorough 7-step explanation is great for in-depth discussions, there are plenty of moments when we need to be brief but effective.

whether you have 5 minutes alone with your boss or need to fire off a quick email, being able to deliver a short, clear explanation is essential.

here's a simple strategy to help you do just that, both verbally and in writing.

let's start with the verbal explanations.

before launching into your explanation, take a moment to answer three key questions.

what subjects do i want to discuss?

what specific points do i want to cover?

what do i want to ask?

if you can, jot down a few bullet points on a scrap piece of paper.

this isn't about writing a script, it's about focusing your thoughts so you can communicate clearly.

and if you've got those notes handy, don't be shy about referring to them during your conversation.

if you'd rather not use notes, try chunking the information in your mind.

this technique helps you remember what you want to say by grouping related points together.

with these quick steps, you're ready to deliver a sharp, concise verbal explanation that gets straight to the point.

now let's talk about crafting succinct written explanations.

when you're writing an email or message, operate under five assumptions to ensure your message cuts through the noise and reaches your reader effectively.

first, assume your reader won't read every message they get.

to counter this, be explicit about the purpose of your message right at the top.

skip the small talk and dive in.

hi jana, i have three questions i'm hoping you can answer.

this approach, known as bluf, b-l-u-f, bottom line up front, captures attention and gets your point across immediately.

next, assume your reader may not read your entire message.

keep it as short as possible to make sure they catch the important details.

third, assume your reader might skim the message.

to make sure key information isn't overlooked, format it in a way that stands out.

use short paragraphs, bullet points, numbered lists and subheadings whenever possible.

fourth, remember that this is often a functional exchange.

you're likely not just sharing information, you need something in return.

make sure you include all the necessary details in one place, so your reader can easily take action.

finally, assume that group emails are less likely to be read or responded to.

personalise your group messages by explaining up front why the information is relevant to each individual.

for example, hi everyone, here are the details for tomorrow's seminar, including information specific to your roles.

by working with these assumptions, you can craft snappy, effective explanations that ensure your message is read, understood and acted upon.

in this chapter to the art of explanation by ros atkins, you've learned that mastering the art of explanation involves only five simple actions that work together to ensure your message resonates.

first, you must understand the anatomy of a good explanation.

this means structuring your ideas clearly, presenting them logically and ensuring every part of your explanation serves a purpose.

next, you need to identify and understand your audience, tailoring your message to their needs, knowledge and interests in order to make your explanation relevant and engaging.

third, having laid this foundation, comes the seven steps of explanation.

these steps guide you through crafting a message that is clear, concise and compelling.

however, explanations aren't always delivered in predictable settings, so fourth, it's crucial to adapt your explanation to fluid scenarios.

being flexible and ready to adjust your message on the fly can sometimes make all the difference.

finally, you'll want to speed up your delivery.

learning to communicate complex ideas quickly and effectively allows you to make your explanations easily digestible, even in moments.

by mastering these components, you'll be able to explain your ideas in a way that truly connects, whether you're in a boardroom, classroom or any other setting.

okay, that's it for this chapter.

we hope you enjoyed it.

if you can, please take the time to leave us a rating, as we always appreciate your feedback.

hope to catch you again in the next chapter.