The Feynman Technique

Step 1: What do you want to learn about?

• Identify a topic and start with a blank document. (A blank sheet, either paper or electronic). Write out everything you know about the subject as if you were teaching it to a child.
• As you learn more about the topic, add it to your sheet. 
• Use your organization tools of choice (colors, bullet points, outlines) so you can see your knowledge develop.

Step 2: Explain it to a 12-year-old

• Now that you think you understand a topic, explain it to a 12-year-old.
• Use your document as a reference to remove unnecessary jargon and complexity. Only use words a 12 year old would understand.

• Anyone can make a subject complicated but only someone who understands it can make it simple.

Step 3: Reflect, Refine, and Simplify

• Review your notes to make sure you didn’t mistakenly gloss over anything or insert unnecessary jargon.
• Read it out loud. If the explanation isn’t simple enough or sounds confusing, reflect and refine.
• Go back to the source material, reviewing the parts you don’t understand. Repeat until you have a simple explanation.

Step 4: Organize and Review

• Test your understanding in the real world, by teaching it to someone. 
• How effective was your explanation? What questions were asked? What parts caused confusion?
• Reflect, Refine, and Simply