How to Present Complex Information Without Oversimplifying

Written by: Roberta M. Fisher, Consultant – Gadd Business Consultants

 

Presenting complex information to any audience can be overcome by following the ideas of: 1.) knowing your audience, 2.) simplifying the context and 3.) connecting what they already know to what is new to them.

 

When faced with presenting difficult or complex information to any audience, it’s best if you know your audience first.  You don’t need to know their name, face or place of employment.  You just need to know your audience’s current level of understanding of the subject matter, what additional information will need to be understood, what level or type of audience is it and what is the block in between what they do and do not know.

 

You must adjust the way the information is presented to each audience according to the above four statements.  A person should not be insulted, talked above or down to or feel the information does not pertain to them.  Make the explanation of a new or updated concept well-defined, short and motivational.  Do not allow yourself to go off on a tangent or down a rabbit hole that gives more information or instructions to the audience than what they need which in turn makes it complicated to follow.

 

Keeping it simple will make it easier on the audience to understand it, how it benefits them and how to apply it in their own set of circumstances.  No one benefits from being overloaded with more information than they need.  The use of comparisons, drawing, graphs and similarities makes it easier to comprehend by drawing comparable situations.

 

 

Reference: Ian Altman, Contributor, Inc.com

https://www.inc.com/ian-altman/3-ways-to-explain-complex-topics-simply-without-oversimplifying.html?cid=hmhero