• 'The reason this matters is . . .'
• 'To understand this, we need to remember that . . .'
• 'All of which connects back to . . .'
• 'This is not happening in isolation.'
• 'This is important beyond the immediate consequences because . . .'#4103•
Chapter 3
Chronological: Use the passage of time to provide your structure. Break the story down into several sections that represent the key developments as they played out.#4108•
Finish / start / finish: This is a variation on chronological. You first outline the outcome you want to focus on, and then return to the start to work through to how it happened – until you're back at the outcome again.#4104•
Zoom out: Start on the event or issue you're focused on. Zoom out one step at a time to reveal more and more of the context and detail of the issue.#4107•
All context: You're explaining an issue or event. You establish what it is – and then say, 'but you can't understand this without understanding X'. Introduce a strand of the subject. Conclude it – and repeat. 'But even if we consider X, that alone doesn't explain this – because you can't understand this without understanding Y.' Bit by bit you build the context around whatever it is you're explaining.
If 'zoom out' wraps a wider piece of context around the explanation each time, 'all context' takes a thematic approach giving equal scale to several pieces of context.#4101•
What someone said: There may be a statement or finding around which you can build your explanation. Could you begin your explanation with this, establishing a fact or turn of phrase – before unpacking each strand with that phrase or fact as a point of reference? You can return repeatedly to the wording for your structure and language.#4109•
Solving a problem: Establish a problem that needed solving and then section by section outline how it was addressed.#4105•
Block by block: Along with 'chronological' and 'solving a problem', this is the one I turn to the most. If you can create a sense of constructing an explanation in front of your audience, you can create momentum and also curiosity about where you're going. The idea being that each part of the explanation would not make sense without the part that has gone before.#4106•
This is a story of two heatwaves – that have set record temperatures. That have started wildfires. That have killed people. And that connect to what we're doing to our planet. And how we're tackling climate change.#4102•
• This is a story of . . .
• This lecture will explain how . . .
• Today, I'm going to take you through . . .
• Here are ten minutes on . . .#4100•