How to Master the Skill of Explaining Complex Concepts Visually

I want to share with you how to master the skill of explaining complex concepts visually. The world we live in today is overflowing with information, and for many of us, really getting what’s being said can be tough. But you know, being able to take a complicated idea and show it in a way that’s easy to grasp and memorable? That’s not just a nice-to-have anymore. It’s a superpower when it comes to communicating. Especially for us writers, where words are usually our main thing, using visuals can seriously pump up our message, clear up any fuzziness, and get people more involved. This guide is your complete roadmap to becoming a pro at explaining tough stuff visually, turning confusing stories into clear, engaging, and unforgettable insights.

We’re not just talking about throwing in a random picture. No, we’re diving deep into deliberately thinking visually, using design rules, and understanding how people’s brains work to build stories that truly connect. Get ready to go beyond just words and unlock a whole new level of communication power.

The Foundation: Understanding Visual Thinking and Its Power

Before we even touch a design tool, we need to understand why visuals are so powerful. It all comes down to how our brains process information. We’re naturally drawn to visuals; a huge part of our brain is busy processing what we see.

The Primacy of Visual Processing

Just think about it: long before we had written language, we had cave paintings. Our ancestors used images to communicate because it just felt right.

• Speed of Comprehension: Images get processed way, way faster than text – like, 60,000 times faster. One well-chosen image can explain something quicker than paragraphs of words. For example, try reading a super detailed description of how a car engine works versus watching a 3D animation of its parts moving. The animation gives you almost instant understanding.
• Memory Retention: There’s this thing called the “picture superiority effect,” which basically means that if you learn something with pictures, you’ll remember it better than if you just read it. When you connect a concept like “supply chain disruption” with a picture of broken links in a chain, that image becomes a super strong memory helper.
• Emotional Connection: Visuals stir up emotions. A chart showing falling profits is pretty blunt, but a picture showing a struggling small business owner can make you feel empathy and urgency. This emotional connection makes concepts stick. When you’re explaining “climate change refugees,” a map showing migration paths, plus powerful photos of affected communities, says so much more than just numbers in a report.

Try this: Before you write about something complex, take five minutes. Close your eyes and try to see it. What images pop into your head? What metaphors? This simple exercise gets your brain thinking visually.

Deconstructing Complexity: Identifying the “Core Visual”

The first step in any visual explanation is figuring out the absolute core of the concept. What’s the one most important takeaway? What often gets lost in all the words?

• Stripping Away Noise: Imagine trying to explain “quantum entanglement.” The equations are mind-boggling. But the core? Two particles, no matter how far apart, instantly affecting each other. How do you simplify that visually? Maybe two separate, vibrating strings, or interconnected, pulsating spheres.
• The “Elevator Pitch” Visual: If you had thirty seconds and only one visual to explain your concept, what would it be? For something like “viral marketing,” it might be a single ripple expanding rapidly from a central point, or a network diagram showing how connections grow exponentially.
• Identifying Relationships: Most complex concepts involve different types of relationships: cause-and-effect, part-to-whole, sequence, comparison, hierarchy. Each of these relationships has its own natural visual structures. “Inflation” is a direct link between how much money is available and how much things cost. Visually, this could be a seesaw where one side is money and the other is buying power, or a shrinking piece of pie showing what your money buys.

Try this: For your next complex idea, write down its main point in one sentence. Now, sketch three different ways you could show that single sentence visually. Don’t worry about being an artist; stick figures are fine.

The Toolkit: Visual Formats for Explaining Complex Concepts

Visual explanations aren’t one-size-fits-all. Choosing the right format is super important for clarity. Each offers unique strengths for different kinds of information.

Diagrams and Flowcharts: Unpacking Processes and Relationships

When you’re explaining a sequence of events, a chain of cause-and-effect, or interconnected systems, diagrams and flowcharts are irreplaceable.

• Process Flows: Perfect for “how-it-works” explanations. Think about explaining a customer’s journey, a manufacturing process, or a software algorithm. Use clear, directional arrows to show movement and different shapes for various stages (like rectangles for steps, diamonds for decisions).
  • For example: Explaining “the editorial workflow for a blog post”:
    • “Idea Generation” (rectangle) -> “Research & Outline” (rectangle) -> “Drafting” (rectangle) -> “Editing” (rectangle) -> “SEO Optimization” (rectangle) -> “Reviews” (diamond, Yes/No path) -> “Publishing” (rectangle).
    • This straightforward flow, with clear labels and decision points, immediately makes the whole journey clear.
• System Diagrams: For showing how parts interact within a bigger whole. Great for explaining complex company structures, tech setups, or ecological systems. Lines show connections, and shapes represent different entities.
  • For example: Illustrating “a multi-cloud infrastructure”:
    • A central “Application” (circle) connected by lines to “AWS,” “Azure,” “Google Cloud” (squares), each with specific services (smaller circles/rectangles) inside them. You could show data flow with dashed lines.
• Relationship Maps/Mind Maps: Excellent for brainstorming, organizing ideas, or showing connections between totally different concepts.
  • For example: Mapping the “factors impacting climate change”:
    • “Climate Change” (central circle) branching out to “Greenhouse Gases,” “Deforestation,” “Industrial Emissions,” “Agricultural Practices,” etc., each with smaller branches detailing specific aspects.

Try this: Before writing a procedural or systemic explanation, sketch a simple flowchart. Can you convey the essence of the process in 5-7 steps or connected components?

Infographics: Data Storytelling and Explanatory Power

Infographics are powerful combinations of visuals, data, and a little bit of text, designed to tell a story or explain a concept quickly and engagingly. They’re not just charts; they’re carefully put-together visual narratives.

• Statistical Infographics: When you have data points that need context and visual emphasis. Instead of just listing percentages, use icons that are proportional, progress bars, or scaled visuals.
  • For example: “The global increase in internet users”: Instead of just saying 5.3 billion users, show a big, bold number, with a world map where regions light up according to user density, or a series of growing human silhouettes representing growth over decades.
• Process Infographics: Similar to flowcharts but often more visually styled and less formal, great for marketing or explaining to a general audience.
  • For example: “How a sustainable product is made”: Show each step – “Raw Material Sourcing” (a picture of a tree), “Eco-Friendly Manufacturing” (a green factory icon), “Distribution” (a low-emission truck), “Consumer Use” (a happy person using the product), “Recycling/Compost” (recycling bins).
• Comparison Infographics: To highlight differences and similarities between two or more items or concepts. Use side-by-side layouts, opposing arrows, or scales.
  • For example: “Traditional vs. Agile Project Management”: Two columns, each with key characteristics shown by icons (e.g., a waterfall vs. a sprint icon, a rigid vs. a flexible arrow).
• Timeline Infographics: To show historical progression, project milestones, or how a concept has evolved over time.
  • For example: “Evolution of AI”: A horizontal line with key dates marked, each with a small icon and brief text describing a major breakthrough (e.g., Enigma machine, Deep Blue, AlphaGo).

Try this: For your next explanation that’s heavy on data, challenge yourself to come up with an infographic concept. What’s the main message the data conveys? How can you visually show that message in a compelling, concise way?

Metaphors and Analogies: Bridging the Familiar to the Unfamiliar

One of the most potent visual communication techniques is translating abstract concepts into concrete, relatable metaphors or analogies. Our brains grasp new information by connecting it to what they already know.

• Visualizing the Abstract:
  • For example: Explaining “the internet” as a “superhighway” (visual: interconnected roads, data flowing like cars).
  • For example: Explaining “a black hole” as “a drain in spacetime” (visual: a swirling vortex leading into an abyss).
  • For example: Explaining “herd immunity” as “protective shields around a population, where enough shields protect the vulnerable” (visual: a cluster of human figures, most with shields, protecting those without).
• The Power of Simile and Anecdote: While often written, effective visual metaphors often come from choosing good similes or relatable stories.
  • For example: When explaining “compound interest,” you could write: “It’s like a snowball rolling down a hill, gathering more snow as it goes.” The visual that naturally appears is a small snowball at the top of a hill, growing bigger and bigger as it rolls down.
• Case Studies as Visual Narratives: A case study, when structured well visually, acts like a long analogy, showing how a general principle applies in a specific, real-world situation. Use before-and-after visuals, impact graphs, or sequential storyboards.

Try this: For a complex concept you’re wrestling with, list five everyday objects or situations. Can you find a direct, powerful comparison between your concept and one of these everyday items? How would that comparison look visually?

Storyboards and Animated Explanations: Bringing Concepts to Life

For concepts that involve change, transformation, or a storyline, sequential visuals work incredibly well.

• Storyboards: Essential for mapping out a sequence, whether for a short video, an interactive presentation, or even a graphic novel-style explanation. They break a concept down into distinct, visually driven scenes.
  • For example: Explaining “the lifecycle of a butterfly”: Panel 1: Egg on a leaf. Panel 2: Caterpillar hatching. Panel 3: Caterpillar eating. Panel 4: Chrysalis. Panel 5: Butterfly emerging. Panel 6: Butterfly flying. Each panel has a simple illustration and minimal text.
• GIFs and Short Animations: Perfect for showing a quick process, a before-and-after change, or a complex movement. They grab attention and show motion.
  • For example: Showing “how to tie a specific knot”: A looping GIF showing hands and rope moving.
  • For example: Explaining “data migration”: An animation of data packets moving from one cloud server icon to another.
• Interactive Visualizations: While often requiring more technical skill, interactive elements let users explore data or processes at their own pace, making learning personalized and deeper. Think sliders that change variables, clickable areas revealing information, or drag-and-drop elements.
  • For example: An interactive map showing “the spread of a pandemic virus,” where users can select dates to see its progression, or click on regions for detailed statistics.

Try this: Choose a concept that involves multiple steps or transformations. Create a simple 4-panel storyboard showing its key stages. What’s the turning point? What’s the outcome?

Design Principles for Maximum Clarity and Impact

Knowing what visuals to use is only half the battle. Knowing how to design them effectively is crucial. Good design isn’t about being pretty; it’s about clarity, efficiency, and guiding the viewer’s eye.

Simplicity: Less is Truly More

The main goal of visual explanation is clarity. Clutter is the enemy.

• Eliminate Distractions: Every element in your visual must serve a purpose. If it doesn’t help understanding, get rid of it. Avoid busy backgrounds, excessive textures, or too many different fonts.
  • For example: Explaining “market share percentage.” A pie chart with too many slices (more than 7-8), each with a different color, pattern, and label placement, becomes unreadable. Simplify by grouping smaller slices or using a bar chart for clearer comparison.
• Focus on One Idea Per Visual: While an infographic can cover several related points, each distinct visual within it should convey a single message. Don’t try to cram five different comparison charts into one single frame.
• Whitespace is Your Friend: Give your visual elements space to breathe. Enough spacing makes a visual easy to scan and keeps the eye from feeling overwhelmed.

Try this: Look at a recent visual you created or used. Can you remove 20% of its elements (color, lines, text, shapes) without losing meaning? Often, you can.

Hierarchy: Guiding the Eye to What Matters

Visual hierarchy directs the viewer’s attention to the most important information first, then the next most important, and so on.

• Size Matters: Bigger elements are seen as more important. Use size to highlight key data points, main titles, or the central concept.
  • For example: In a chart showing budget allocation, make the slice representing the largest spending significantly bigger than others, or use a bolder outline on it.
• Color as Emphasis: Bright, saturated colors grab attention. Use them sparingly for emphasis, not just decoration. Muted colors can be used for background elements or less critical information.
  • For example: When showing a critical path in a project timeline, make that path really stand out with a vibrant, distinct color, while other paths remain grey or softer shades.
• Contrast for Distinction: Make sure there’s enough contrast between elements (like text and background, or different data series) so they’re easy to tell apart.
  • For example: If showing two overlapping distributions on a graph, ensure their line thickness or colors provide enough contrast for easy differentiation.
• Strategic Placement: Put the most critical information where the eye naturally looks – usually the top-left or center.

Try this: Sketch out a visual for a complex concept. Now, using only different circle sizes, colors (just two or three), and placement, try to create a clear hierarchy of information. Which elements jump out first?

Consistency and Clarity: Building Trust and Readability

Predictability in design helps understanding. Inconsistent visuals lead to mental effort and confusion.

• Consistent Iconography: If you use an icon to represent a person, use that same icon throughout your visual explanation. Don’t switch between stick figures, detailed illustrations, and emojis.
• Predictable Color Usage: Assign specific colors to specific meanings and stick to them. If red means “alert” in one chart, it shouldn’t mean “growth” in another.
  • For example: In a series of charts about business performance, consistently use green for positive growth and red for decline across all visuals.
• Legible Typography: Choose clear, easy-to-read fonts. Avoid overly decorative or extremely thin fonts, especially for small text. Make sure the font size and line spacing are adequate.
  • For example: For a detailed infographic, use a sans-serif font like Open Sans or Lato for body text for best readability on screen.
• Clear Labeling: Label everything clearly and concisely. Avoid ambiguity. Use direct, specific language.
  • For example: Instead of “Total Volume,” specify “Units Sold Annually (Millions).”

Try this: Look at three different charts or diagrams you’ve created. Do they share a consistent visual language in terms of icons, colors, and labeling? Where could you make things more consistent for a unified brand or project?

The Writer’s Role: Integrating Text and Visuals Seamlessly

For us writers, the challenge isn’t just creating visuals, but weaving them into our text in a way that enhances, rather than competes with, our words.

Visuals as Anchors, Not Decorations

Every visual should have a clear purpose: to explain, to illustrate, or to emphasize. If it doesn’t, it’s just decoration, and likely, clutter.

• Pre-emptive Visuals: Sometimes, a visual can set the stage before the detailed text. A complex systems diagram, for example, can give an initial overview before you dive into the specifics of each part in your accompanying paragraphs.
• Post-Explanatory Visuals: Other times, a visual summarizes or reinforces a concept just explained in text. After a detailed paragraph on the causes of a phenomenon, a single infographic summarizing those causes can cement understanding.
• Interleaving for Flow: Avoid putting all visuals at the beginning or end of a long text. Mix them in thoughtfully, placing them near the relevant written explanation.

Try this: As you outline your next article, pinpoint paragraphs where readers might get lost or benefit from a quick summary. Mark those spots with a note: “Visual opportunity here.”

Crafting Effective Visual Callouts and Captions

The text that goes with your visual is almost as important as the visual itself.

• Concise Titles: Give your visuals descriptive yet brief titles. They should immediately tell the viewer what they’re looking at.
  • For example: Instead of “Graph 1,” use “Global Semiconductor Revenue (2018-2023).”
• Actionable Callouts: Use callouts (short pieces of text directly on the visual) to highlight specific data points, trends, or components. Keep them brief and to the point.
  • For example: On a line graph showing a sharp dip, a callout bubble saying “Market Correction” with an arrow pointing to the dip.
• Contextual Captions: Captions should provide context, explain how it was done (if needed), or direct the viewer’s attention to key takeaways.
  • For example: “Figure 3: Key stages of the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing process. Note the precision of the guide RNA in targeting specific DNA sequences.”
• “What to Look For” Text: In your main body text, specifically tell the reader what to look for in the visual. “As seen in Figure 2, the blue line clearly demonstrates the exponential growth…” This guides their eye and ensures they get the intended insight.

Try this: For your next visual, write three different versions of its caption: one that’s purely descriptive, one that highlights a key takeaway, and one that asks a question the visual answers. This exercise helps you improve your caption writing.

Using Visuals to Break Up Text and Enhance Scannability

Even without complex data, strategically using simple visuals can make long-form content easier to consume.

• Spot Illustrations: Small, simple icons or illustrations woven into the text can highlight section breaks, emphasize key terms, or add a touch of personality without distracting.
  • For example: A small lightbulb icon next to “Key Idea” sections, or a gear icon next to “Process Steps.”
• Infographic Elements as Text Dividers: Use simple infographic elements (e.g., custom designed boxes for case studies, timelines for historical context) to break up the monotony.
• Quote Boxes with Visual Flair: Instead of plain text quote boxes, integrate a subtle background pattern, a unique font, or a small graphic element (like quotation marks or a person’s silhouette) to make them stand out.

Try this: Scan a long piece of your own writing. Where are the dense blocks of text? Could a simple icon, a short bullet list styled with a unique marker, or a small illustrative image break that density and make it easier to read?

Practical Implementation: Tools and Workflow

You don’t need to be a professional designer or invest in expensive software to get started. Consistency and clear concepts are much more important than fancy tools.

Accessible Tools for Visual Creation

• Presentation Software (PowerPoint, Google Slides, Keynote): Surprisingly versatile. You can create diagrams, simple charts, and even basic icons. They offer drag-and-drop functionality and often have built-in shapes, icons, and charting tools.
• Online Graphic Design Tools (Canva, Piktochart, Venngage): These are specifically made for people who aren’t designers. They offer thousands of templates for infographics, social media graphics, charts, and more. They’re easy to use, mostly drag-and-drop, and often have free versions.
• Spreadsheet Software (Excel, Google Sheets): Essential for making charts and graphs from data. Spend some time learning their charting features; they’re powerful.
• Simple Drawing Tools (Google Drawings, Excalidraw, Pen & Paper): For brainstorming and simple sketches, nothing beats these. Don’t underestimate how useful it is to sketch your visual on paper first.

Try this: Pick ONE of these tools you’re least familiar with and spend 30 minutes exploring its basic charting or diagramming features. Make a simple bar chart or a two-step process diagram.

The Visual Creation Workflow for Writers

1. Concept Definition: What’s the main idea? What specific data or relationship needs to be explained visually?
2. Audience Analysis: Who are you explaining this to? Beginners will need more simple explanations and familiar comparisons; experts might appreciate more detail or nuanced charts.
3. Format Selection: Based on the concept and audience, which visual format is most appropriate (diagram, infographic, metaphor, etc.)?
4. Sketching/Wireframing: Before you touch any software, sketch out your idea. Focus on the layout, hierarchy, and key elements. Don’t worry about how pretty it looks. This saves a lot of time later.
5. Gathering Assets (Icons, Data, Images): Collect any data, icons, or images you’ll need. Make sure they’re relevant and high quality.
6. Drafting the Visual: Use your chosen tool to create the visual based on your sketch. Focus on clarity, simplicity, and hierarchy.
7. Drafting Accompanying Text: Write your title, callouts, and captions. Integrate references to the visual within your main body text.
8. Review and Refine:
   • Clarity Check: Show it to someone unfamiliar with the concept. Can they understand it quickly? What questions do they ask?
   • Accuracy Check: Is the data correct? Are the relationships shown accurately?
   • Consistency Check: Are all elements consistent in style?
   • Simplicity Check: Can anything be removed? Can any element be simplified further?

Try this: Next time you start a complex explanation, consciously follow these steps. Don’t skip the sketching/wireframing phase; it’s a total game-changer for efficient visual creation.

Beyond the Obvious: Advanced Visual Storytelling Techniques

Once you’ve got the basics down, explore more sophisticated techniques that take your visual explanations from clear to truly compelling.

Combining Visual Formats

Powerful explanations often combine different visual elements within a single cohesive narrative.

• Infographics with Embedded Diagrams: A large infographic explaining a big-picture trend might include a smaller process flowchart to detail a specific mechanism.
  • For example: An infographic on “the impact of AI on the job market” could feature:
    • A main bar chart showing forecasted job displacement vs. creation.
    • A small flowchart illustrating “how a specific job task is automated.”
    • A comparison chart of skills needed in the “new economy.”
• Sequential Visuals with Data Points: A storyboard showing a narrative progression where each “scene” or “frame” includes a relevant data visualization.
  • For example: A visual story of “a startup’s growth,” with each frame showing a stage (ideation, funding, product launch, scaling), and a small line graph in each frame showing user growth or revenue acceleration for that specific period.

Try this: Take a complex concept. Instead of one single visual, plan a series of 2-3 interconnected visuals, each using a different format but building on the previous one. How do they collectively tell a richer story?

The Power of Annotation and Emphasis

Directly drawing attention to specific parts of a visual, also known as annotation, makes your intent clear.

• Highlighting Trends: Instead of just showing a line graph, add a visual cue (e.g., a shaded area, a dotted line, an arrow) to key trends or turning points.
• Direct Callouts with Arrows: Use arrows to point from explanatory text directly to the specific part of the visual being discussed.
  • For example: On a diagram of a cell, a dashed arrow from the term “Mitochondria” pointing directly to the mitochondrial structure.
• Zoom-ins and Close-ups: For highly detailed visuals, offer “zoom-in” sections to highlight intricate components you want the viewer to focus on.
  • For example: Explaining the intricate details of a microchip: show the full chip, and then a magnified inset box showing the specific circuit you are describing.

Try this: Find a complex image (e.g., a photo of a new device, a detailed map). Practice annotating it with circles, arrows, and short text labels to guide someone through its features or explain a specific process happening within it.

Emotion and Visual Storytelling

While many complex concepts are scientific or technical, even they have human implications. Injecting appropriate emotion can make your visuals more relatable and memorable.

• Humanizing Data: When showing statistics about people, try to represent them with human figures (even simplified ones) rather than abstract bars.
  • For example: Instead of “75% of users agree,” show 3 out of 4 subtly illustrated people giving a “thumbs up” or nodding in agreement.
• Before & After Narratives: Visually showing a contrast between a problem state and a solution state can be incredibly powerful and emotionally resonant.
  • For example: Explaining the benefit of a new healthcare policy. “Before” could be a visually cluttered, distressed scene; “After” could be a clear, calm, and streamlined scene.
• Symbolism: Use universally understood symbols to subtly convey larger meanings.
  • For example: A growing plant for growth, a lightbulb for an idea, a set of gears for efficiency.

Try this: Think of a technically complex concept. Can you identify an emotional angle or a human impact associated with it? How could you visually represent that emotional aspect without sacrificing clarity of the technical details?

Conclusion

Mastering visual explanation is a journey of continuous learning, trying things out, and refining your skills. It requires a shift in how you think: seeing every piece of information not just as text, but as a potential visual story. For us writers, this isn’t about becoming graphic designers; it’s about becoming more powerful communicators, using the natural strength of the human eye and brain. By understanding your audience, embracing visual thinking, choosing the right formats, applying solid design principles, and integrating visuals seamlessly with your words, you can make complicated things clear and leave a lasting impression of understanding. Start small, experiment often, and watch as your explanations transform into models of clarity and impact.