It Can Be Smart to Dumb Things Down

People are more likely to trust information they understand easily.

Extensive research shows that simplicity in communication creates trust. If people can easily understand information, they’re more likely to believe it’s true. They’re also more likely to remember your message and take action in response.

“Fluency” studies find that anything which taxes our brain power—inhibiting “fluent” mental processing—can kill effective communication. That includes unfamiliar words, complex ideas, blurry typefaces, or complicated visuals.

Confusing content makes the brain work too hard as it attempts to process new information. Because humans are hardwired to conserve our precious mental energy, most won’t invest the effort to figure it out.

This poses a challenge for experts who tend to use jargon and data to communicate. If you want to win the trust of nonexperts, you must Keep It Super Simple:

●      Translate professional lingo into everyday language

●      Strategically select data that explains the issue in a meaningful way

●      Simplify infographics and other visuals

●      Tell stories that help people see the big picture, which makes it easier to process the details

Read our article in Stanford Social Innovation Review: “It Can Be Smart to Dumb Things Down.”