Summary

The article discusses the importance of understanding when to stop adding detail when explaining concepts, emphasizing that the right level of detail depends on the communicator's and audience's expertise, not just the technology used for communication.

Abstract

In the realm of technology, where continuous learning is necessary to keep pace with advancements, the author reflects on the challenge of determining the appropriate amount of detail to include when explaining new ideas. Drawing from personal experience with Unified Modeling Language (UML), the author highlights the lesson learned from an expert: the amount of detail to share should be based on the skill levels of both the communicator and the audience, rather than the communication tool itself. The article argues that documentation should be concise and practical, avoiding unnecessary detail that may not be valuable. It suggests that the purpose of the documentation—whether for personal clarification, explaining to others, or serving a future reference—should guide the level of effort invested. The author also introduces a tool called Twigflo.com, designed to facilitate visualization at the speed of conversation, as a practical approach to effective communication.

Opinions

The author values the art of minimalism in communication, advocating for "less is more" to combat information overload.
There is a recognition that everyone is a novice in some areas and an expert in others, which should influence the depth of detail shared in documentation.
The author suggests that capturing too much predictive detail can be unproductive, especially in dynamic conditions where everyone may be considered a novice.
Direct engagement with the audience is preferred over extensive documentation when the subject matter is highly dynamic or when the documentation serves an immediate need.
The author emphasizes the importance of understanding the audience's level of expertise to provide the right amount of detail that bridges knowledge gaps without adding noise to the message.
The article posits that practical working sessions can sometimes be more effective than extensive documentation, particularly when the information is unlikely to be referenced in the future.

When Explaining: How much is enough?

Have you ever struggled to describe an idea or new concept to another person? Who has not?

My career is in technology. It’s an area that has been and continues to be rich in evolutions and revolutions of ideas. There is a near constant opportunity to fall behind.

Learning new things is a requirement just to stand still and not slip back. Takes an extra effort to break new ground.

I like breaking new ground. At one time (some years ago) one of those new territories was Unified Modeling Language (UML). It offered a way to explain technical concepts in a uniform manner — with simple pictures. Fantastic!

This article is not about UML.

Insight from an expert

I had the privilege of learning the basics of UML from an expert at my workplace. I was learning while doing.

I wanted to master this technology and use it correctly.

So I asked him this:

When do I stop adding detail?

His answer was very unsatisfying. He said stop when you have enough.

What a bastard.

He was serious. And it took me a few years to fully grasp that there might be no better answer. And that this answer is great.

Enough detail depends on people, not the communication technology.

Technology is just a tool. And the detail, that’s the information we are seeking to share, depends very little on the tool we use. How much detail and what detail we capture to share depends on how skilled the communicator is and how skilled the audience is in the subject not in the tool.

This insight applies to any topic in any field.

So let’s talk about people.

Skills of people?

Who thinks a novice in a subject should document more about it than an expert in that topic? What about an expert capturing more detail in their area of expertise instead of the novice?

The limit of what’s useful for a novice to document, the detail they should capture, is much lower than the limit of what’s worthwhile from an expert. At least that’s the case when what we are capturing is intended to be shared.

Limits of value

Everyone is a novice in some subjects and very likely nearly an expert at some others. There are no exceptions.

And when it comes to details dependent on dynamic conditions, everyone is a novice; so bear that in mind before investing time into capturing too much predictive detail.

Respect practical value limits. Better to have documentation that lacks detail than documentation that incorporates premature detail of questionable value.

Purpose should drive effort

If you are struggling with how much accurate detail is enough, ask yourself these questions:

Is this just for me to clarify my thoughts?
Is this for other people to understand my thinking?
In the future will this even matter?

It helps to know what you are trying to accomplish and how much effort that goal is worth to you.

1. Talking to yourself (clarifying your thoughts)

Know yourself and capture just enough. You might even have your own short-hand. Use it and move on.

And if you don’t have your own shorthand, consider developing one. It’s not too hard.

2. Don’t explain to strangers (explaining to others)

Guess at your audiences’ skill levels in the subject matter and capture just enough detail to bridge the gaps between the areas of understanding they already share with you. More than that and you obscure the message with noise.

The hardest part here is understanding your audience and where you think your ideas and theirs already align.

3. Dust in the wind (will we need it again)

If you are reasonably sure that your documentation serves only an immediate need and not some future reference purpose then try to engage your audience directly real-time to dialog with them.

Sometimes what seemed like a documentation exercise was really better served by a practical working session.

Direct person to person engagement is much more effective than almost any documentation artifact. And a direct conversation means low-detail visual aids instead of high-detail comprehensive documents.

Don’t waste your time on more than what is useful.

Less is more

We are all bombarded with so many details, at work, at home. Information overload. Nobody needs it.

The magic is minimalism.

It’s an art.

There are clues, but there is no formula.

Stop when you have enough.

>>> A Summer 2022 Update

I’ve been working with some folks to visualize at the speed of conversation by creating a tool we call Twigflo.com — try it out and let us know what you think.