Working resource
An explanation someone can use
A way to think about technical explanation, informed by retail coaching, merchant guidance and client work.
At Freedom Mobile I coached associates on technical product explanations and customer communication. At Shopify I helped merchants work through systems and workflows. Those settings put explanation close to the work someone needs to do.
The outline below is a new way of expressing the approach for this space, rather than a claim that I used a named framework in those roles.
Make the explanation useful
Questions for a conversation, a guide or a handoff.
Start with the aim
What is the person trying to do, and what is stopping them?
Choose the needed detail
Which part of the system helps explain the problem or decision?
Make the options clear
What can happen next, and what does each option depend on?
Check the understanding
Does the explanation answer their question? What remains unclear?
Leave a next step
What can they do now, and where can they return for context?