“I learned very early the difference between knowing the name of something and knowing something.”
Jargon. Something that hides our lack of understanding yet makes us sound so intellectually complex. It’s only natural to use vague words and complexity to explain something when we don’t fully understand it.
Richard Feynman, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist, realized that knowing the name of something is completely different from actually understanding it. Feynman was never content with just knowing what something was, he always wanted to remain on a deeper level of understanding. So, he made a technique that allowed him to analyze his understanding of something by simplifying it.
Today, we will dig deeper into every step of this technique, along with the optimal situations it can be used.
The Feynman Technique
The Feynman Technique is a method of learning that forces you to develop a deeper understanding of, well, anything. There are four steps to this technique: learn, teach, find the missing pieces, and simplify.
Step 1: Learn
The first step is the easiest step. All you have to do is choose a topic that you’re interested in, and learn it. Take the time to figure out the basic components.
For example, if I was learning how to play poker, then I would have to learn the rules, strategies, or even the different hand rankings. As long as you have a basic understanding of the topic, you’re ready for step two.
Step 2: Find the gaps
Once you’ve developed a basic understanding of the concept, you will now teach it to someone else. This someone should be a child or a very inexperienced person when it comes to your topic. Not only will it be good practice teaching them, but they can also give you feedback when something isn’t clear in your explanation. This will help you find those learning gaps.
Ideally, the person you’re teaching will constantly be examining your explanation as it comes to them. Essentially picking up things that you probably wouldn’t have picked up yourself. They will ask questions, helping you point out certain grey areas in your understanding as well. This is exactly what you want in order to proceed with the technique.
Thus step’s main goal is to help you find what you don’t know or what you can’t explain so you can fill the gaps in your knowledge (continues on the next step).
If you’re too uncomfortable teaching a real person, then you can pretend that there’s an audience in front of you instead, but teaching a real person is a much better approach for this technique.
Step 3: Fill the gaps
As the previous step helps you uncover the gaps in your knowledge, this step is all about filling those gaps. You’re essentially going back to step one and studying, but with an intense focus on the missing pieces.
Back to the example, if I had forgotten or didn’t know how to explain the different hand rankings, then that’s the missing piece to my deeper understanding. So I would simply go back to that area of poker and rehearse it to fill in the gaps.
If you want, you can go back to the person you taught and explain to them what you couldn’t explain before to test your knowledge of the missing gaps.
Step 4: Simplify
By now you probably have a great range of knowledge on your topic, but you’re not done yet. The final step of creating a deep understanding is to simplify the content.
Simplifying your content is done by taking your newly learned knowledge, and turning it into something that anyone can understand. Simplifying your knowledge is what will really allow you to master the topic. It effectively builds your understanding and reassures that you actually know what you’re talking about.
Being able to cut away the jargon and complexity to the point where it can be explained so clearly that even young children with limited vocabulary are able to understand, is extremely difficult. However, it forces you to master the information and grasp how all of the different components join together.
This technique is a great way to expand your knowledge of any concept, idea, or skill. The Feynman technique is perfect for anyone who wants to analyze the missing pieces of the big picture, and eventually where to place them.