The Empathic Importance of Explaining The Magic Behind Your Code in Laymen's Terms

Have you ever had that conversation with a parent when you try to
face-time, and you’re the one face-timing whilst they’re the one giving
you a close up of their ear, muttering words of confusion and
frustration?

As annoying as getting a close up of your loved one’s ear can be, I think you would agree that it’s important to power through those bizarre movements and help talk them through what they’re doing wrong so they can actually benefit themselves from the magic of modern technology.

I think this same loving rule of thumb should be applied to automation and the ability to code something for yourself.

To some, the ability to code can seem like magic.

If you’re the person who knows how to code, that point in your show and tell where someone can’t believe what you’ve been able to do, you have to make a decision...

Do you accept the praise and astonishment? Cementing your name as a modern day Merlin, or do you help to explain how actually, it’s not that hard once you know where to look?

By explaining how something can be done in such a way that you bring
as many people along for the ride with you, you will improve things for
everyone, not just yourself.

That explanation could help plant a seed of an idea in that other persons mind and have them googling that little bit quicker or tackling a problem in a slightly more effective way.

That same person could come back to you, the coder-extraordinaire, and pose a question or challenge in a way you’ve never considered, giving you a sudden bout of motivation and a new teammate to help crack that million dollar question.

Technology is not magic. It’s built by people, for people, to do things that look like magic.

It’s important that when faced with a misplaced ear, you gently explain where the camera is on the phone. Showing other people how they can do what you’ve done, helping to inspire curiosity in others, benefits everyone and actually helps to improve things long into the future.