Applying Communication Theory to Real Interactions
Apply communication theory: senders encode messages, receivers decode them with different interpretations. Anticipate misunderstandings by checking meaning.
January 2026
Machine Learning Model Training Explained
ML training: Initialize model with random weights, forward pass makes predictions, calculate loss measuring error, backpropagation updates weights, repeat.
How Search Engines Index and Rank Content
Search engines crawl pages by following links, index content by extracting text and metadata, then rank results using algorithms and relevance signals.
How Load Balancers Distribute Traffic
Load balancers distribute incoming requests across servers using algorithms like round robin for fairness and least connections for optimal routing.
How Encryption Protects Data
Encryption transforms plaintext into ciphertext using algorithms and keys. Intercepted data is useless without the key. Symmetric and asymmetric types exist.
How DNS Resolution Works
DNS resolution: Browser checks cache, queries recursive resolver like Google DNS, resolver checks cache, then queries root nameservers to find IP addresses.
How APIs Work: Technical Deep Dive
APIs define software communication contracts. REST APIs use endpoints like /users and HTTP methods like GET for read and POST for create operations.
Database Transactions and ACID Properties
Transactions treat operations as single units—all succeed or all fail. ACID properties: Atomicity (all-or-nothing), Consistency, Isolation, Durability.
Database Indexing Explained
Database indexes use B-tree structures maintaining sorted pointers to rows. Like book indexes, they enable fast lookups without scanning entire tables.
Container Technology Explained
Containers use Linux namespaces for isolated processes and cgroups for resource limits. Lightweight virtualization with separate filesystems and networks.
Step-by-Step: Running a Premortem Analysis
Run premortem: Imagine project failed spectacularly, everyone brainstorms why it failed, share scenarios, identify common patterns, create mitigation plans.
Step-by-Step: Mapping a Complex System
Map complex systems: Identify key components, draw connections showing flows and dependencies, mark causal links, find feedback loops, test predictions.
Step-by-Step: Facilitating a Retrospective
Set stage for learning, gather data on what happened, generate insights through discussion, decide actions, close with commitments and appreciation.
Step-by-Step: Evaluating Information Quality
Assess accuracy by verifying facts and cross-checking claims. Check source credibility and expertise. Identify potential biases in presentation.
Step-by-Step: Designing Effective Metrics
Keep simple with three to five key metrics. Make actionable so measurement drives improvement. Align with goals avoiding distortion.
The Curse of Knowledge: Why Smart People Explain Things Poorly
Understand the curse of knowledge bias and why experts often struggle to explain concepts to beginners effectively.
How to Communicate Complex Ideas to Any Audience
Learn practical techniques for explaining complex concepts clearly to audiences with different levels of expertise.
Step-by-Step: Designing a Feedback System
Measure current state. Define desired state. Create comparator showing gap between them. Design response actions closing gaps.
Framing Effects: How Presentation Changes Meaning
Explore how framing effects influence interpretation and why the same information presented differently leads to different conclusions.
Feedback Loops in Communication Explained
Learn how feedback loops work in communication systems and why they're essential for effective understanding.
What Is Communication? A Clear Framework for How Ideas Transfer
Understand what communication really is by exploring a clear framework for how ideas move between people and why meaning often breaks down.
Narrative Transportation: Why Stories Persuade Better Than Facts
Understand why stories are more persuasive than facts through the psychological phenomenon of narrative transportation.
The Ladder of Abstraction Explained Simply
Learn how the ladder of abstraction helps you move between concrete details and abstract concepts for clearer communication.
Step-by-Step: Creating a Decision Framework
List criteria for good decisions. Weight importance of each factor. Score options against criteria. Document rationale for future reference.
Why Miscommunication Happens Even When Words Are Clear
Discover why miscommunication occurs despite clear wording and what factors beyond language affect understanding.
Step-by-Step: Building a Mental Model
Identify key components. Map relationships showing how parts connect. Test predictions against reality. Refine based on failures.
Second-Order Thinking Explained with Examples
Learn second-order thinking—how to anticipate consequences of consequences and make better decisions by thinking beyond immediate effects.
Common Decision Traps and How to Avoid Them
Identify the most common decision traps that derail judgment, and learn practical strategies to recognize and avoid them.
First Principles Thinking Explained
Learn first principles thinking—breaking problems down to fundamental truths and reasoning up—with practical examples and when to use it.
What Is Ethical Decision Making?
Explore what makes a decision ethical, the frameworks for moral reasoning, and how to navigate ethical dilemmas systematically.
Mental Models Explained in Plain Language
A clear, jargon-free explanation of what mental models are, how they work, and why they matter for thinking and decision making.
How Learning Actually Works According to Science
Understand the science of learning—how memory forms, what makes learning stick, and why most study techniques fail based on cognitive research.
Deliberate Practice Explained
Learn what deliberate practice is, how it differs from regular practice, and why it's the key to developing expert-level skills.
Cognitive Biases Explained with Examples
Learn about major cognitive biases with clear examples—from confirmation bias to anchoring—and how they systematically distort judgment.
Tradeoffs as a Universal Law
Understand why tradeoffs are fundamental to decision making, how to identify and evaluate them, and why 'having it all' is usually impossible.
How Goodhart's Law Breaks Metrics
Explore Goodhart's Law—when a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure—and how to design metrics that resist gaming.
Feedback Loops Explained
Learn how feedback loops work—reinforcing and balancing—and why they're fundamental to understanding system behavior and change.
Heuristics Explained
Learn what heuristics are, why the mind uses mental shortcuts, when they work well, and when they lead to systematic errors.
Step-by-Step: Analyzing Incentive Structures
Map what's rewarded with bonuses and recognition. Identify what's punished with penalties and criticism. Compare stated versus actual incentives.
How to Communicate Complex Ideas to Any Audience
Learn practical techniques for explaining complex concepts clearly to audiences with different levels of expertise.
Philosophical Roots of Critical Thinking
Aristotle developed logic and syllogism. Socrates questioned assumptions. Descartes emphasized doubt. Enlightenment valued reason over authority.
What Is Decision Making Under Uncertainty?
Explore how to make sound decisions when you lack complete information and face uncertainty about outcomes.
Decision Frameworks Used by High Performers
Learn the specific decision frameworks and processes that high performers use to make better choices faster and with greater consistency.
Decision Fatigue Explained and How to Avoid It
Learn what causes decision fatigue, how it degrades judgment, and practical strategies to preserve decision-making energy.