Big tech geniuses say the best way to learn complex subjects is to think like a kindergartner

Getting your mind ready for a presentation, job interview, or a test can be daunting, especially if you’re trying to master complex subjects. You want to showcase your knowledge and make sure that there aren’t any cracks or weak points. Well, business leaders, big tech companies, teachers, and everyday folks are saying the best way to see if you’re ready is to talk to a five-year-old.

“Explain like I’m 5” isn’t just a Reddit thread, but a great method to determine whether you actually know what you’re talking about. The studying technique dubbed “ELI5” allows your brain to break down complex topics into everyday comparisons and simple words. When you explain a subject out loud as if you’re teaching it to a kindergarten class, your brain naturally breaks the material into simplified steps, removes jargon, eliminates fluff, and fills in any gaps in logic. If you find yourself getting stuck at certain points in your translation of the topic, you’ll see the parts of the subject matter that you still don’t quite fully understand.

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“I use the ‘Explain it like I’m five’ technique every day. For me, it’s the fastest way to break down complex systems or technical ideas into something meaningful,” Ahmed Harhara, Ph.D., engineer and founder of HoustonHomeTools.com tells GOOD. “If you can’t explain a concept clearly to someone without your background, you probably don’t understand it well enough yourself. Clarity reveals competence — and it shows you’re not hiding behind buzzwords.”

There are folks that are able to learn more about coding, finance, medicine, law, and several other complex materials through this method, with many vouching for its effectiveness. The technique isn’t too different from how programmers use the Rubber Ducky Debugging method to explain their code to a rubber duck on their desk. The Feynman Technique, a study method attributed to Nobel Prize–winning physicist Richard Feynman, teaches that the best way to thoroughly learn a subject is to explain it to someone else, which both simplifies the concepts and reveals gaps in your knowledge that can be filled with focused study.

The process of the ELI5 technique is simple enough that itself can be explained to a five-year-old, too. First, study the topic. Then after a period of studying, try to explain aloud the core idea of the concept with simple language and as briefly as possible. After all, your “audience” is a five-year-old with limited understanding and a shorter attention span. See if you can further explain the subject in a few simplified steps along with analogies/metaphors to relate it to something more common or familiar. If you can do that with ease, you likely know the subject forwards and backwards. If you find yourself stuck at certain points, then you know where to go deeper without needing to retread over the parts of the material you’ve already proven to have mastered. It’s a win-win.

So the next time you’re prepping for a job interview, about to present a project to the big boss, or studying for an important exam, try explaining it thoroughly using a kindergartner’s words and understanding. If you can convey something complex in simple terms, you can approach it all with confidence.