Tell a Story
Organize observations and ideas into a coherent narrative to build a mental model, using analogy, emotion, and perspective-taking to deepen understanding and make explanations engaging.
THE IDEA
Step 4: Tell a Story
Organize your observations into an explanation that a learner can follow. Show how the parts connect, what causes what, and which evidence supports those connections. Notes and diagrams can help you find gaps before you present the account.
Hollins draws on Feynman’s example to suggest explaining a topic to someone who does not already know why it matters. Start with the knowledge they need, then build toward the idea you want to explain. An analogy or a concrete situation can make an unfamiliar relationship easier to grasp.
Read the explanation aloud. Ask where a learner would need another definition, example, or intermediate step. Thinking through this “curriculum” helps you decide what belongs first and what can wait. Check that the story remains faithful to the observations; a satisfying sequence alone does not establish a causal explanation.
When to use it
Preparing a presentation for a non-expert audience to make complex information accessible and memorable.
Studying a new scientific theory by constructing a narrative that links observed phenomena into a causal chain.
Teaching a new concept in a classroom or workshop where engagement and understanding are key.
Writing an article or blog post that aims to explain a difficult idea in a compelling and structured way.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Teaching Relativity to a Child
Use a train and a platform to introduce Einstein’s relativity. Explain how observers moving relative to each other compare measurements of time and length, and distinguish those measurements from what someone literally sees as light reaches them.
Explaining Photosynthesis as a Factory Story
Tell the story of a tiny factory inside a leaf: the sun provides energy (like a power plant), water and carbon dioxide are raw materials, and the factory produces sugar, releasing oxygen as a byproduct. Personify the chloroplasts as workers, making the process relatable and engaging.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
How would you explain the core idea of your current project as a story with a clear beginning, middle, and end?
What analogy or metaphor could make your explanation more vivid and emotionally engaging for a novice?
If you were teaching this concept to a young child, what would you emphasize as the fundamental rules or steps?
Often confused with
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- Richard Feynmans Mental Models by Peter Hollins