🎥How to be "Casually Compelling"

Hey—It's Mohammad.

It's 11 PM and I'm watching documentaries again. Ken Burns’s Leonardo da Vinci.is kickass. But there's something about Ken Burns that keeps me glued to the screen for 4 hours.

Read Time: 4 minutes

A year ago, if you asked me about giving technical presentations, I'd tell you to have:

• Comprehensive slides

• Detailed documentation

• Every point backed by data.

Because I’m an engineer. We live in the world of data, stats, and math.

But then I watched Ken Burns' documentary on Leonardo da Vinci. All 3 hours and 42 minutes. (yes, I’m a science geek, and I geeked out on a podcast here)

I caught a detail: Burns kept me engaged through nearly 4 hours of historical documents and expert interviews.

While back in my world, I can’t keep people’s attention for 2 minutes talking about work I'd spent months on.

Documentary makers and I face the same challenge: Make the complex interesting.

Both need to leave audiences understanding something new.
Both need to make complex information engaging.
Both need to maintain attention over time.

Documentary makers have cracked the code for holding attention.

Why we still watch 4 hr. documentaries:

Documentaries don't just present information—they reveal it.

Think about how Burns—or other documentaries—introduces a topic. No overwhelming data dumps. No complex timelines. No expert jargon right away.

Instead, he shows you a person. A moment. A problem.

He uses details as signposts to show you how they connect. Only then does he zoom out to show you why it matters.The technical details? They come last—when you're practically begging for them.

This isn't just artistic preference.

It's strategic architecture.

The Three-Layer Method:

While watching Burns' documentaries, I noticed a pattern.

Layer 1: The Human Element

Start with something relatable. A person. A problem. A moment.

Why this works: Your brain connects with stories before data.

When Burns shows Da Vinci's childhood in Vinci, he's not just giving background—he's creating context for everything that follows.

How to apply it: Start with a specific moment

Show why it matters to real people Create emotional investment before technical detail

Layer 2: The Bigger Picture

Only after you care does he zoom out to show the system.

Why this works: Once emotionally invested, your brain wants to understand more. Like how Burns connects Da Vinci's curiosity to the Renaissance spirit of discovery.

How to apply it: Connect your example to larger patterns Show why this matters now Build anticipation for the technical content

Layer 3: The Technical Reveal

By now, you're practically begging for the details.

Why this works: By the time Burns explains Da Vinci's engineering innovations, you're invested in both the person and the context. The technical details satisfy your curiosity rather than testing your patience.

How to apply it: Present technical details as answers to questions you've built up Connect back to your opening example Keep the human element visible

What Documentaries understand that experts miss:

Information without anticipation is just noise.

They don't just organize information—they create curiosity first.

This Week's Challenge: Pick one technical concept you need to explain.

Instead of starting with the technical details:

1. Find the human story behind it

2. Identify why anyone should care

3. Present the technical details as revelations, not just information

Remember: Your audience needs to want the information before they can absorb it.

See you next Saturday

— Mohammad

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