5 Tips for Explaining Tech Concepts to Non-Technical People
When I started as a data analyst, no one told me that my main challenge would be explaining technical concepts to non-tech people.
These types of scenarios unfolded almost every day:
- Coworkers not understanding why I couldn’t roll out a new dashboard feature automatically, like flipping a switch.
- Software salespeople not understanding a website feature my team wanted, or why we wanted it.
- My boss asking me questions about my data analysis, not understanding statistical concepts such as percentile ranking or the difference between mean and median.
To handle these scenarios, I needed to explain to stakeholders and coworkers what they needed to know and nothing more, in layman’s terms, while dodging any rabbit holes.
Below are my top 5 tips for explaining tech concepts to non-technical people.
Tip 1: Think about what they already know and bridge that gap.
Christopher Chin, a data presentation coach on LinkedIn, breaks down the “know your audience” cliche in a practical and actionable way:
- What is your audience’s level of tech proficiency now?
- What related information have they seen before?
- What action do they need to take in the future?
Your audience’s level of tech proficiency determines the depth of detail you should go into, and the amount of tech jargon you should use. Try to imagine the conversation from their perspective. If they do not have a tech background and are asking you why Power BI is not refreshing, does it help the situation to explain what data marts are and how they operate? No.
Tip 2: Focus on what they need to know and nothing more.
Let’s set the scene: your boss, who does not have technical experience, does not understand why a dashboard change cannot be implemented immediately. You know that you have to work with the data team to complete user acceptance testing (UAT).
It may be tempting to go into a long, detailed explanation, proving to them all you know about UAT. However, this will not be clarifying to your boss. It’s more likely to confuse or intimidate them — or worse, they may feel that you’re being condescending by using acronyms and tech jargon they do not know.
Instead, keep your explanations brief, avoid any acronyms or tech jargon, and stick to what they need to know.
I’ve heard from many coworkers who are frustrated with IT for using jargon that they do not understand. As my friend said to her IT team, “I don’t know what you mean. Explain this to me like I’m 5.” I’m sure many employees feel the same degree of confusion but are too embarrassed to admit that they do not know the technology, so they suffer in silence.
Tip 3: Use lots of screenshots and arrows (if applicable)
I often am the link between my coworkers (without technical knowledge) and the software developers who install changes on our websites. Screenshots are helpful for all kinds of situations:
- Showing coworkers the newest features on the website.
- Making user guides for coworkers and clients. (For any process documentation, I highly recommend Scribe, an AI tool that builds how-to guides for you — I’m not sponsored, just a fan.)
- Showing software developers what we want new website features to look like.
- Troubleshooting login/tech issues with students and the IT department.
Tip 4: Ask ChatGPT to write a simple explanation for a non-technical audience.
In my article “Breaking Down Barriers: Using ChatGPT to Explain Data to Your Client,” I list sample ChatGPT prompts you can use to simplify your data explanations.
For example, imagine you performed a data analysis where the average and median values in a dataset were different. Your client is confused and asks why the average and median values differ.
You can ask ChatGPT: “What are some reasons why the average and median values in a dataset may be different? Explain in terms that a person without a technical background would understand and use easy-to-understand examples.”
Remember, when working with ChatGPT, make sure to verify the accuracy of the output and communicate back and forth with ChatGPT to edit or clarify the response. You can always tailor what you like from ChatGPT’s explanation and cut out the rest!
Tip 5: If you sense that the person isn’t understanding, check in with them.
Sometimes you sense that you’ve lost the crowd — their eyes glaze over, they start fidgeting, they look bored or distracted. When this happens, try to re-capture their attention.
Christopher Chin recommends a pattern disrupt like: “Let’s stop here before we move forward. What questions do you have about this?” Maybe they understand the content and are distracted because lunch is about to start. Or maybe they have specific questions they can ask you, now that you’ve prompted them to re-enter the discussion.
Remember it sometimes takes a few explanations — that’s perfectly okay!
It may take a few explanations for people to understand what you mean. They may think they understand, and then forget, or come back to you with questions. This is okay and perfectly normal. Often it takes more than one try to master a new tech or data concept. Be patient with your coworkers and treat them with the same respect you’d want if you were starting on your tech or data journey.
Further reading:
Christopher Chin “The Hidden Speaker” LinkedIn: “I help tech professionals communicate and present with executive confidence”
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