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I’ve seen a quote attributed to Einstein floating around recently that goes like this:
Now, as far as I can tell, Einstein didn’t really say this, though Einstein: His Life and Times (Clark, 1971) does attribute a similar quote to the famous scientist. In the book, Clark writes:
Einstein…said “that all physical theories, their mathematical expressions apart ought to lend themselves to so simple a description that even a child could understand them.”
Whoever said it, the concept is true. If you can’t explain your topic to a non-expert, then you need to study it more. Presenting is about sharing ideas to as many people as possible in a way that they can understand your message and do something with it.
Remember the film An Inconvenient Truth, in which Al Gore talked about climate change? In 20/20 hindsight, it’s not hard to find flaws in that presentation, but the big success of the film was that he presented climate change science in a way that everyone – supporters, skeptics, or deniers – could wrap their heads around and understand.
Simplicity is not about simple-mindedness. It does not have to do with dumbing-down the material. It is not about avoiding complex topics. It’s about presenting that information – regardless of depth or complexity – in a way that people can easily grasp. It’s about being an effective communicator.
Here are some quick and easy ways to bring simplicity to your talk:
- Tell stories. When I talk about autism, it’s story time. People grasp the abstract qualities of the autistic mind when seen through the eyes of characters and events so much more than through bulleted lists. Put a human face on the facts.
- Find analogies. I’ll always remember the importance of hands-on technology training because of something Arthur C. Clarke once wrote: “Reading computer manuals without the hardware is as frustrating as reading sex manuals without the software.” Relate to what your audience knows, to what is familiar for them.
- Be visual and tactile. Let me see what you’re talking about. Let me experience your data. Engage more senses than hearing, and your audience has more chances to come away with a deeper understanding of your talk. Think of the ways Neil deGrasse Tyson, Carl Sagan, or Bill Nye explain complex scientific concepts. Visual and tactile learning to them are as important as auditory.
I just want to finish here with a video narrated by Carl Sagan. See how the visuals compliment his talk, explaining how the space program has affected us and some of the reasons for our abandonment of that program. Notice how deep his message is without descending into complex vocabulary or esoteric language.
Visuals and text align to create an emotional and provocative image. The historical impact of space exploration doesn’t have to be rocket science, and neither does your talk. Keep it meaningful, but keep things simple at the same time. It starts, though, with really understanding your material, and that takes time and preparation. You do the hard work, so your audience doesn’t have to.
