Most technical explanations are broken because they force you to choose between oversimplified baby talk or impenetrable academic jargon. It is incredibly frustrating when you are just trying to get up to speed on a new subject. I just stumbled upon a post by a Reddit user named AdCold1610 who accidentally discovered a “layering” technique that fixes this problem instantly.
The “Ladder” Approach to Learning
The strategy isn’t about finding the single “perfect” level of complexity, but rather about asking for all of them in sequence. The creator calls this a 3-level approach where you request the AI to explain the same topic three consecutive times: first for a 5-year-old, then a 15-year-old, and finally for a professional. Instead of dumping information on you, this forces the model to scaffold the concept, ensuring you have the core logic down before the heavy terminology drops.
Why This Method Works
💡 Bridging the Knowledge Gap The author points out that most learning fails in the “awkward middle ground.” You usually get a definition that is either too vague to be useful or one that assumes you already have a PhD. By using this prompt, you force the AI to build a bridge. The ELI5 section provides a mental hook or simple analogy. The ELI15 section expands that hook with nuance and context. By the time you read the Professional section, the technical terms (which would usually confuse you) slot perfectly into the mental framework you just built.
📌 From “Dog Treats” to “Backpropagation” To prove how effective this is, the industry pro shared a breakdown of “Machine Learning.” The ELI5 version was simply about “teaching a dog tricks with treats.” The ELI15 version shifted to “how humans recognize faces through patterns.” Finally, the Professional version introduced “minimizing loss functions” and “adjusting weights.” The genius here is that the complex math in step 3 makes sense because you already understand the “dog treat” logic from step 1.
✅ The Ultimate “BS Detector” I really appreciate this specific insight from the post’s author: you can use this prompt to catch yourself faking knowledge. The creator suggests running this on topics you think you already know. If the ELI5 analogy feels wrong or doesn’t align with your professional understanding, it exposes a gap in your foundational knowledge. It is a brilliant way to audit your own skills or onboard new team members who might be too shy to admit they are lost.
Prompt of the Day
Here is the exact structure the innovator shared to get these results:
“Explain [complex topic] like I’m 5. Then explain it again like I’m 15. Then explain it like I’m a professional who needs to use this knowledge.”
This is a fantastic way to tackle Wikipedia rabbit holes or difficult industry concepts. Check out the link to the original post to see the community discussion!
💡 FAQ & Troubleshooting
Why uses a 3-level approach instead of just asking for a professional explanation?
Standard explanations often fall into an awkward middle ground—either too simple to be useful or too complex to grasp immediately. This approach works by building knowledge incrementally: Level 1 (ELI5) strips away jargon to reveal the core concept, Level 2 (ELI15) adds necessary nuance without overwhelming you, and Level 3 (Professional) provides the technical details required for actual application.
How can I improve the accuracy for highly technical or research-level topics?
You can “prime” the AI before running the main prompt. First, instruct the AI to “learn everything about the topic” but tell it explicitly not to respond or summarize yet. Tell it to prepare to answer at the level of an “advanced stage researcher.” Once the AI confirms it is ready, proceed with the standard 3-level prompt.
Can this prompt help if I already understand the topic?
Yes. It is an effective way to audit your own knowledge. Try running the prompt on a concept you think you have mastered. If the Level 1 (ELI5) explanation seems foreign or difficult to grasp, it often indicates that you have been memorizing technical definitions rather than truly understanding the foundational logic behind the concept.
The ELI5 Prompt That Actually Makes You Understand Complex Stuff
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