After four years of reading numerous posts and papers, I’ve realized that the biggest obstacle to understanding is that simplicity is an advantage but complexity sells better. With enough layers of abstraction, most ideas on the internet are easy to grasp. However, when writers simplify their articles, they risk losing credibility by not appearing “smart enough”, and, more importantly, they risk sacrificing precision—after all, complex terms exist for a reason.

Consequently, the way to improve understanding as a reader is to gradually build up complexity by starting simple. Starting simple means understanding the problem, why it’s important, and the concepts around it. Defining them quickly, boldly, and as simply as possible.

As a writer, you’re the most appropriate person to help users simplify complex technical concepts.

Let readers focus on your main idea, not the concepts behind it

Learning is challenging—and it should be. There’s no shortcut to mastering complex topics. However, if your readers can’t understand the problem they’re trying to solve or the foundational concepts behind it, learning becomes unnecessarily difficult.

To address this, begin each blog by outlining a list of key assumptions, including the problem you’ll discuss and any foundational concepts you won’t build within the post. This will serve as a reference point, allowing readers to explore core topics and deepen their understanding of the subject matter at their own pace.

By structuring content this way, learning becomes more manageable. Readers can focus on understanding a single problem without being overwhelmed by trying to build its background.