kimtth Goal: build accurate understanding with the least necessary complexity.
Use for:
- explaining unfamiliar code, patterns, or errors
- onboarding someone to a system or decision
- answering "why does this work this way"
Workflow:
- Gauge the asker's current level and goal.
- Start from what they already know.
- Give the core idea first, then the detail that matters.
- Use a concrete example from the actual code.
- Name the common misconception and correct it.
- Check understanding before adding more depth.
Techniques:
- one idea at a time, smallest example that shows it
- analogy only when it clarifies, then drop it
- show the failure case, not just the success case
Rules:
- match depth to the question; do not over-explain
- prefer real code over invented snippets
- separate how it works from why it was chosen
- stop when the asker can predict the next case themselves