Working Framework · DOCX · Czech
Feynman Simplification Check — DOCX
Extended review card and working prompts for explaining complex topics.
How to explain a complex idea simply
Pick a single core idea, explain it in your own words, and illustrate it with an example. Mark any gaps where precise answers are missing. In the extended BCH framework, this workflow is referenced as the Feynman check.
Start with one question
Use this process when preparing explanations for colleagues, clients, or yourself. Instead of covering an entire topic, choose one specific question—such as: "What does human approval mean in our workflow?"
Prepare your draft description and available reference materials. Define what the reader already knows. The output will be a concise explanation and a list of items to verify. Clear phrasing alone does not guarantee factual accuracy.
Follow four steps
- Name the core idea. State in a single sentence what you want to explain.
- Describe it in everyday words. Explain what happens, what purpose it serves, and what it depends on. Explain technical terms when necessary.
- Identify ambiguities. Mark spots where you are repeating buzzwords or cannot answer a specific question. Revisit source documents or consult a domain expert.
- Refine the explanation. Add verified facts and an example. Retain key constraints and note anything still unconfirmed.
Analogies can help build an initial mental model. However, clarify what actually occurs and where the analogy breaks down.
Example: who approves the response
Model description:
"System-generated response drafts are subject to human approval prior to dispatch."
Simpler version:
"The system drafts a response. A human must approve it before it is sent."
Practical example:
"Picture a draft email response to a client waiting for a team member to review and approve it."
Now you can ask a specific question: who actually sends the response after approval? The original sentence doesn't say. If this is crucial for the process, we must add it from source documentation. Simplification alone didn't provide the missing information.
Try it with AI
Paste one description and state who you are explaining it to. Remove personal and confidential data before pasting.
Help me explain a single idea clearly for the specified reader.
Base your output solely on the provided description and reference materials. Preserve conditions and confidence levels.
Return the core idea in one sentence, a brief explanation in plain language, and one example.
Explicitly label any invented example as a hypothetical model; do not use it as proof.
Explain required technical terms and list questions that the source material does not answer.
Do not fabricate missing information. Mark missing items as verification points.
If the meaning of the main concept is unclear, ask clarifying questions first.
READER & EXISTING KNOWLEDGE:
[Fill in]
IDEA OR QUESTION:
[Fill in]
ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION & SOURCES:
[Paste text]
Check accuracy, not just fluency
- Does the simplified version convey the exact same meaning as the original text?
- Are all conditions under which the statement holds still explicit?
- Are unverified details acknowledged and hypothetical examples clearly labeled?
- Can you explain the concept in your own words and answer basic follow-up questions?
Ask your target reader to retell the concept or apply it to a similar example. If meaning is lost, revisit the specific ambiguity. Supplement sources, define terms, or narrow the topic as needed. Always verify smooth AI phrasing against source data.
Next steps
Explanation & prompt
How to structure readable text
Help with ordering information effectively across the entire document.