explaining

Explaining Skill

Version: 1.0 Source: Explaining Things Playbook

Structure before technique. Depth before detail. Context before content.

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Scope and Boundaries

This skill covers: Producing clear explanations — classifying requests, choosing structure, scaling depth, and applying relatability tools.

This skill does NOT cover: Writing style or tone for marketing copy, formal academic writing, or persuasive sales. It covers the structure of persuasion (Situational framework) but not copywriting craft.

Relationship to other skills:

• Works alongside documentation (which covers what to document; this covers how to explain it)
• Can be applied inside any domain skill when teaching, onboarding, or communicating concepts

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North Star

Goal: The listener builds the right mental model on the first pass.

Definition: A good explanation doesn't just deliver information — it orients the listener, builds understanding in sequence, and connects meaning to something they already care about.

Smell: If the listener asks "but wait, what is it?" after your explanation, you skipped Context. If they ask "okay, but why should I care?" you skipped Connection. If they ask "how does it actually work?" you rushed Content.

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Quick Start

Already know the framework? Start here:

I want to...	Go to
Explain what something is or how it works	Use the Subject framework (default)
Explain why something matters, persuade, or help someone decide	Use the Situational framework
See Subject worked examples at different depths	references/subject-examples.md
See Situational worked examples at different depths	references/situational-examples.md
See domain-specific mappings (storytelling, data, consulting, etc.)	references/situational-domains.md
Browse Subject techniques by phase	references/subject-tools.md
Browse Situational techniques by phase	references/situational-tools.md
Compare Short / Medium / Long depth side by side	assets/depth-comparison.md
Follow a step-by-step checklist	assets/explanation-checklist.md

For the full framework, read on.

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Execution Order

For every explanation request, follow this order without skipping steps:

1. Classify the request (Subject vs Situational)
2. Apply the matching 3-phase structure
3. Choose depth (Short / Medium / Long)
4. Add supporting tools (examples, analogy, reframing) only if they improve clarity

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Classification

Subject (Default)

Use when explaining what something is, how it works, how to do something, or why it exists.

The listener needs to understand a thing.

Situational

Use when explaining why something matters, why one approach is better, how to decide, or how to persuade/reframe behavior.

The listener needs to make a decision or change perspective.

Default Behaviors

• Default mode: Subject — unless the listener is clearly deciding, justifying, persuading, or reframing.
• Default structure: Use the full 3-phase framework. Do not skip Context.
• Default clarity move: If confusion appears, step backward one phase and rebuild the mental model before continuing. Do not add more detail forward — rewind to the missing phase (usually Context), re-establish the model, then continue.

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Subject Framework

Use a 3-phase structure. Support explanations with relatability tools when helpful.

Phase 1: Context — Anchor Understanding

Orient the listener. Establish what the thing is, where it fits, and why it exists. Assume no prior knowledge.

Begin with the "what" and "why care." You're orienting, not persuading. Give the simplest possible definition or overview and make it relatable.

Phase 2: Content — Show How It Works

Explain how it works or how to do it. Be concrete, semantic, and example-driven. Avoid abstraction unless necessary.

Break the subject down visually or logically. Use analogy, sequence, or demonstration to make it tangible.

Phase 3: Connection — Translate Meaning

Translate meaning. Explain why it matters, when it's useful, or how it changes outcomes.

End with relevance or impact: how it fits into life, why it's useful, or what it reveals about the world.

Full examples at each depth: references/subject-examples.md Technique catalog by phase: references/subject-tools.md

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Situational Framework

Use a 3-phase structure. Keep explanations semantic, practical, and grounded. Favor concrete mental models over formal definitions.

Phase 1: Establish Context

Frame understanding by giving people orientation, purpose, and relevance before going anywhere else. Explain what's happening, why it matters, and connect it to something the listener values so they're aligned and facing the same direction.

Phase 2: Reveal Problem or Opportunity

Focus attention and emotional gravity by surfacing the gap between the current state and a better one. Expose the tension or unmet potential, spark curiosity or concern, and define what's at stake if nothing changes.

Phase 3: Solve

Provide the answer, idea, or path forward with clarity, proof, and action. Present the key insight, support it with reasoning or evidence, and translate it into concrete next steps so people know what to do and why it works.

Full examples at each depth: references/situational-examples.md Domain-specific mappings: references/situational-domains.md Technique catalog by phase: references/situational-tools.md

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Depth Scaling

Depth changes how much of the mental model is exposed, not which structure is used. All three depths use the same 3-phase framework.

Short

Prioritize clarity and definition. One or two sentences per phase. Minimal examples.

• Tone: Crisp and direct — like concise teaching notes.
• Tools: Rare — only brief, functional comparisons ("Think of it like...").
• Best for: Elevator pitch, summary, quick answer, memory cue.

Medium

Explain mechanism and intuition. Expand cause-and-effect. Use one illustrative example.

• Tone: Natural, conversational — reads like how a good teacher talks.
• Tools: Occasional — similes and short analogies for accessibility.
• Best for: Blog section, educational video, presentation voiceover, internal briefing.

Long

Explore nuance, tradeoffs, and deeper insight. Use multiple examples, analogies, or edge cases.

• Tone: Reflective and narrative — reads like a storyteller teaching through insight.
• Tools: Frequent — rich metaphors, analogies, and anecdotes for flow and memorability.
• Best for: Long-form article, keynote, essay, documentary narration, deep-dive workshop.

Full comparison table: assets/depth-comparison.md

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Relatability & Emphasis Tools

Add these only when they improve clarity. Structure carries the explanation; tools enhance it.

Tool	What It Does	When to Use	Example
Simile	Direct comparison using "like" or "as"	Making an idea vivid and easy to visualize	"Explaining without context is like building a house without a foundation."
Metaphor	Implies one thing is another	Creating emotional resonance, collapsing distance between ideas	"Context is the foundation of understanding."
Analogy	Structured comparison mapping one relationship onto another	Building logical understanding through parallel structure	"Just as a gardener prunes to help plants grow stronger, leaders remove obstacles so teams can thrive."
Personification	Gives human qualities to non-human things	Making abstract systems feel alive and empathetic	"Data doesn't lie, but it whispers — you have to listen closely."
Example / Anecdote	Short, real-world story or instance	Grounding the abstract in experience, building trust	"When I started composting, I realized waste isn't a problem — it's potential."
Parallelism	Similar sentence structure for rhythm	Adding flow and emphasis, great for summaries	"Measure clearly, act quickly, improve continuously."

Usage by Depth

Depth	Tool Usage
Short	Rare — only brief functional comparisons
Medium	Occasional — similes and short analogies
Long	Frequent — rich metaphors, analogies, anecdotes

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Quick Reference

Before Every Explanation

• Classified as Subject or Situational
• Using the correct 3-phase structure
• Depth chosen (Short / Medium / Long)
• Context phase is present and sufficient

During the Explanation

• Phase 1 orients the listener before introducing complexity
• Phase 2 is concrete, semantic, and example-driven (not abstract)
• Phase 3 translates meaning back to the listener's world
• Relatability tools support clarity, not replace structure
• No phase is skipped

If Confusion Appears

• Rewinding to the missing phase (usually Context)
• Rebuilding the mental model before continuing forward
• NOT adding more detail in the current phase

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Anti-Patterns

Anti-Pattern	What It Looks Like	Why It Fails
The Detail Avalanche	Listener is confused, so you add more information	Confusion means a phase is missing — more detail buries the gap deeper
The Headless Explanation	Jumping straight into Content without Context	The listener has no mental model to hang information on
The Dangling Explanation	Context and Content but no Connection	Information delivered but not translated into meaning or relevance
The Wrong Lens	Using Subject framework when the listener needs to decide	Subject teaches what; Situational addresses why it matters now
The Technique Show	Every sentence has an analogy, metaphor, and example	Tools are seasoning, not the meal. Structure carries the explanation
The Expert Curse	Explaining at your depth, not the listener's	Match depth to the audience's starting point, not your knowledge
The Flat Explanation	Same depth across all three phases	Context can be short even when Content is long. Scale each phase to its purpose

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References

• references/subject-examples.md — Subject worked examples at all three depths (Lean Six Sigma, Gardening)
• references/subject-tools.md — Subject technique catalog organized by phase (Context, Content, Connection)
• references/situational-examples.md — Situational worked examples at all three depths (Learning to Cook, Small Teams)
• references/situational-domains.md — Domain-specific mappings (storytelling, data, consulting, teaching, marketing, leadership)
• references/situational-tools.md — Situational technique catalog organized by phase (Setting Context, Revealing Problems, Solutions)

Assets

• assets/depth-comparison.md — Side-by-side Short / Medium / Long comparison across all dimensions
• assets/explanation-checklist.md — Step-by-step execution checklist for producing explanations