Chapter 182

The "Explain Like I'm Five" Technique

0 min read

This technique forces clarity through simplicity. It's Socratic because it reveals understanding gaps through the struggle to simplify.

The ELI5 Question Cascade

```text You: "I think our B2B SaaS needs blockchain integration"

AI: "Can you explain why in terms a five-year-old would understand?" You: "To make our data more secure"

AI: "What would 'secure' mean to a five-year-old?" You: "Like a special lock that no one can break"

AI: "Does your current lock have problems that five-year-olds would notice?" You: "Not really..."

AI: "Then why do you need a special new lock?" You: "Maybe I don't..." ```text

Advanced ELI5 Applications

For Strategy Clarity: ```text "I'll describe our business strategy. Ask me to explain each part like you're five until the real value becomes crystal clear or falls apart." ```text For Problem Definition: ```text "Help me explain our technical problem to a five-year-old. Keep asking 'why does that matter?' until we reach the human impact." ```text For Feature Validation: ```text "I'll describe our new feature. Ask me to explain its value like you're five. If I can't, it might be too complex." ```text