Welcome.
The Online Home of Lee LeFever
What I’m Doing:
- The Science of Explanation (Professional Newsletter)
- Common Craft (work)
- Books I’ve Written
- Personal Newsletter – Ready for Rain
- Blog
Recent Blog Posts
Rafting the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon
Just before you board a raft to float down the Colorado River inside the Grand Canyon, they tell you something important: There is no going back....
A New Lens on Human Nature
One of my dreams is to share an idea that can’t be unseen. Once it is understood, it becomes a new lens for seeing the world from a different...
2024 in 12 Photos
According to my photos app, I took over 6,400 photos and videos in 2024, or an average of 17 per day. This is not an outlier. The camera on my phone...
Subscribe to The Science of Explanation
Successful explanation depends on understanding how the mind works and how minds differ. People naturally tune into different signals, process meaning in different ways, and understand through different paths.
Research from cognitive science and brain science offers concrete evidence for how we think, learn, and make sense of ideas. By understanding this science, we can communicate more clearly, avoid misunderstanding, and create better chances to be understood in our personal and professional lives.
I’m Lee LeFever, author of two books, co-founder of Common Craft, and the Explainer Academy.
Most people know me as a producer of animated explainer videos. In fact, we are credited with pioneering the genre in 2007 with our “in Plain English” series of explainers.
Today I continue to produce videos and help others develop the skill of explanation. This includes my book The Art of Explanation, online courses at the Explainer Academy.
In 2026, I started a Substack called The Science of Explanation, which focuses on how explanations succeed or fail based on how minds actually work.
I’m a creative person and recently completed an art installation project called the Solstice Wall.
I live on Orcas Island, which is a small island in the Salish Sea between Seattle and Vancouver, BC. We recently built a home and I now consider myself an aspiring plantsman and landscaper.
My newsletter, Ready for Rain, is the best way to follow along.
Ready for Rain is a newsletter that's personal
On most Tuesdays, I share a story from my life on Orcas Island and a recommendation for something I love. I'm interested in how to design work and home for lifestyle, livability, and fluffy dogs. Learn more.
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