Loading…
18
Realization: My cousin's blank stare when I mentioned biodiesel at Thanksgiving taught me to simplify my explanations
4 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In4 Comments
thomasb416mo ago
That blank stare when you talk about biodiesel? I know it well. I made the same mistake explaining how my smart thermostat works to my dad. He just wanted to know how to turn up the heat, and I launched into a speech about algorithms and wifi protocols. Now I just say it's a fancy thermometer that learns your habits.
6
alexpalmer5mo ago
Yeah, that "fancy thermometer that learns your habits" is a good way to put it. I read an article once about how tech writers call this "the grandma test"... if your explanation wouldn't make sense to your grandma, you need to try again. They said to start with what the thing does, not how it works.
2