Decide How Much to Explain
Added 2026-11-04
How much detail someone needs depends on what they will do with it.
I need to explain something to someone (audience and context below). Do: 1) judge what they will do with the information — decide, execute or just know; 2) match the depth to that use — conclusion, key points, steps or principles; 3) point out which details will not change their action; 4) give a layered explanation: what to say first and what to expand on request; 5) warn me which kind of over-explaining makes things worse.
Site original
Chinese original
How to use
解释的深度，由对方的用途决定，不由你的知识量决定。
Try tweaking it
- Ask what evidence would overturn the judgement.
- Have it argue both sides with three reasons each.
What you should get
- A decision table: assumptions, evidence, counter-evidence
- A next action with an observable signal
Common mistakes
- Asking only "should I?" and getting equally valid answers both ways.
- Never asking for counter-examples, so you only hear support.
How to check the output
- It states what evidence would overturn the conclusion.
- Both sides are argued, with assumptions marked as such.
Where it works
- Good for: splitting a decision into assumptions, evidence and counter-cases, leaving the call to you.
- Watch out: ask what evidence would overturn the judgement, or you will only hear supporting reasons.