Lee LeFever, Common Craft @leelefever

The Art of Explanation

WebVisions PDX May

24, 2013

All directions are not created equal.

Empathy is the key.

The Curse of Knowledge

Our explanations just… happen.

Why Explanation Matters

So I tried to

explain itAs the CEO

explained

The suspect had no

explanation

Increase

Understanding

Explanations Increase Understanding

Why?

The Cost of Understanding

Understanding

Comes with a Cost

Lower the Cost of Understanding

is Key

Explanations

Lower the Cost of

Understanding

Why Me?

?

RSS Explanation Problem

RSS is…

The RSS Explanation Problem

RSSin Plain English

50 million

views

Everyone.

Explanation is a fundamental

skill everyone can improve.

Design + Communication = Explanation

Design Communication

Explanation

We are all designers

We are all explainers

The Difference – Focus

The Difference – Focus

Explanation

Like design, explanation should be

done with intention and focus. It’s a

skill that can be developed and used

to solve problems.

Explanation Scale

I understand

very littleI understand some basics

I have a strong

understanding

Explanation Scale

Explanation Scale

Explanation Scale

A ZG V

Explanation Scale

Explanation Scale

Big Ideas Details

Explanation Scale

• Start with big ideas and focus on “why”

• Then add details and focus on “how”

Explanation Scale

Context and Agreement

Agreement

Agreement

AgreementContext

Context Context

Context and Agreement

Agreement

Context

Context and Agreement

We can all

agree…

You know

this idea…

Context and Agreement

Context and Agreement

Context and Agreement

Meet Jam Handy

Jam Handy (1886 -1983)

Differential Gear

An Example – Differential Gear

Originally produced for Chevrolet by Jam Handy Organization (1937) Licensing: Public Domain.

An example – Differential Gear

Context and Agreement

Context

Story

Story

Story

Story

Go Bob! He’s Like Me

Story

Context and Agreement

ContextStory

Connections

Connections

Alien (1979)

Connections

Jaws in

Space

Connections

Analogy

Connections

Dr. Nadine Burke Harris

thisamericanlife.org

“Back to School” Ep. #474

Context and Agreement

ContextStory Connect

What’s Your Job Again?

My job…?????

Start with Agreement & Context

AgreementContext

What does the world of user

experience look like?

The World is Getting More Complicated

Connect to something familiar

Connections

Relate the process with a story

UX

Agreement, Context, Connections, Story

Explaining Dropbox

Hate that feeling!

Context

Agreement

That makes sense.I see now!

Connections

Go Josh! He’s Like Me

Story

30k Views Per Day, 30m Total Views

Dropbox Users

Views

100M

30 M

Be remarkable

Radiolab

ColorsSeason 10, Episode 13

Radiolab.org – WBEZ

Tom Cronin

Radiolab

What does the

rainbow look like

to animals?

Representing Color with Sound

What rainbow would a dog see?

No Red Color Receptors

Recap

Mantis Shrimp

Mantis shrimp, photo by ursanate/flickr-CC-BY-2.0

Be Remarkable

• This is a bullet point you won’t read in a million years• Here is another bullet point• By now you’ve totally tuned out and thinking about leaving• There’s no need to write any more.

• This is a bullet point you won’t read in a million years• Here is another bullet point• By now you’ve totally tuned out and thinking about leaving• There’s no need to write any more.

Common Craft Style

Classroom Activity

Media Matters

ScreenFlow

Screencasting SoftwarePowerPoint or

Keynote

+

Go Animate

Woven into the fabric of work life.

??

Look for problems to solve.

Lee LeFever @leelefever

commoncraft.com

artofexplanation.com