Analogies and examples
Analogies connect the unfamiliar to the familiar. A well-chosen comparison or concrete example can make an abstract idea instantly understandable.
Key ideas
- Good analogies share the structure, not just the surface.
- Every analogy breaks somewhere; say where.
- Concrete examples work best right after the abstract statement.
Step by step
- 1
Identify the core relationship in the concept.
- 2
Find something familiar to your audience with the same relationship.
- 3
Use the analogy, then state where it stops being accurate.
- 4
Add one concrete, real example.
Example
Explaining bandwidth, an IT lead compares it to the number of lanes on a motorway and notes that, unlike cars, data packets can be resent.
Your drill
Write two analogies for a concept in your field. Test them on a colleague and keep the one they understand faster.
Common mistakes
- Using analogies the audience does not know either.
- Stretching an analogy beyond where it holds.
Check yourself
What makes an analogy accurate?
Show the answer
It shares the underlying structure or relationship of the concept, not just a surface resemblance.
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