Electronics360: "Explaining the Unexplainable"

In writing 10 editions of my book, How Computers Work, I've developed a few rules for understandable explanations that apply equally to written explanations and presentations.

• Proceed chronologically. If there is a process or distinct actions that occur one after another, start at the first action and continue chronologically until you reach the final action. There are, unfortunately, some phenomena, such as gravity and magnetism, that have no starting points. In those cases, it's helpful to just pick some meaningful point in the process and proceed from there as if it were a starting point.
• Use typography to add emphasis and organization to written explanations, as I've done here with bullets and boldface.
• Left to right, top to bottom. If you're using illustrations, put numbered callouts pointing to parts of the explanation in chronologic order--plus arrange the callouts so their chronological order organizes them from top to bottom, left to right, and/or clockwise. Don't make the reader have to search for the next step. These are the directions in which we in the Western world expect information to flow. If the subject has no real starting point, don't number the callouts. If you're explaining the differences in ancient Roman columns, numbered callouts muddy the explanation
• Use active voice always, always, in print and call-outs. Not only does the passive obscure meaning for the reader, it should be a warning to yourself that maybe you don't fully understand your topic. Saying,"A current is generated when the photoelectric cell is exposed to light" gives no clue of what light is doing to the photoelectric cell nor how the cell turns light energy into electrical energy. If you find yourself using the passive voice, stop, back up--as far as necessary--and rewrite your explanation in the active voice.
• Check and recheck all the facts, particularly those you're sure you can pull off the top of your head. I once wrote "Michaelangelo" when it should have been "Leonardo." Readers noticed and took great glee in writing me--and my editors--to point out the mistake.

Poor illustration, inconsistent format, and passive voice-- oh, my!

I saw his show with Jeff Foxworthy....

Unless people record the audio and retain the slide show, portions of the discussion will fade with time.

happy wheels