Most crypto content is written in a way that assumes the reader already knows the basics and jumps straight to topics without explaining the fundamentals first.
Still, it is not the jargon that is the issue. The manner in which crypto information is given raises obstacles. People who want to learn can get intimidated by complicated charts, network diagrams, and technical whitepapers. This deeply affects people with different learning styles, disabilities, and non-native English speakers.
Rather than overwhelming someone with all the technical details at one time, we at least introduce the concepts gradually. This acknowledges the way people learn and keeps from the overload.
The CoinMinutes team employs a three-tier approach:
Foundation Level: Core concepts in basic language
Application Level: Use with some technical detail
Advanced Level: Analysis for the experienced users
This allows readers to start at any level that they find comfortable. For instance, an article on Ethereum could be commencing by elucidating that a smart contract is like a rental agreement and then proceeding with the code examples.
Technical concepts require a translator, not a simplifier.
There's a difference - we keep things accurate while making them clearer.
Before: "Implementing EIP-1559 introduced a dual-fee structure with a base fee and priority fee, creating deflationary pressure through token burning mechanisms."
After: "Ethereum's 2021 update changed how transaction fees work. Now, part of each fee gets removed from circulation - like burning money - which could make the remaining Ethereum more valuable over time."
Useful Reference: https://tooter.in/coinminutes/posts/115077024718511953
Making Visuals Work Better
Complex ideas often need visual explanations, but visuals can create barriers if they're designed poorly. For CoinMinutes content, we focus on visual hierarchy:
Our"DeFi Fundamentals" series is a great example of how we interact directly with the content. In the liquidity pools article, we incorporated a slider illustrating risk/reward ratios that users could manipulate. This interaction time was 3.2x longer than our text-only explanations.
Making Crypto Education Work for Everyone
The crypto world is like a territory with no standard map. At CoinMinutes, we are not the ones providing directions - rather, we are making maps that everyone can understand irrespective of their background or experience.
Making crypto learning clear and accessible
Accessibility Standards
Adhering to technical accessibility standards cannot be considered an option - it is a must to be able to reach everyone who is interested in Cryptocurrency Market. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provide us with clearly defined standards that we ought to meet. In the case of CoinMinutes, this leads to:
It is quite difficult to explain price charts to the visually impaired users. We have come up with templates that not only facilitate the communication of the chart but also help in describing the patterns: "BTC showing three higher lows with decreasing volume, resulting in the formation of a bull flag pattern."
Cultural and Linguistic Considerations
The crypto revolution is a worldwide phenomenon, but content that focuses on the Western financial systems is less useful for the rest of the world. Although English is the primary language in which crypto is discussed, being accessible means not forgetting the existence of linguistic and cultural variations. We now implement diverse examples, use explanations that do not assume the reader's familiarity with financial systems, and, if necessary, provide the regulatory context of a particular region.
Different Ways to Learn
People learn differently - some by reading, others by listening or watching, and many through hands-on experience. We now deliver core content as written articles, audio versions, captioned videos, and interactive elements for learning.
This taps into something teachers have known for decades: people remember more when they learn through different methods. Multiple formats ensure learners can access content in whatever way works best for them.
Filling in the Gaps
Glossary and Reference Integration
Simply presenting the terminology with its glossary is not enough; it requires a system as well.
One of the elements of our approach is discussing the technical terms at their first occurrence and associating the new words with the things people already know. It's evident in our whole content. For example, when we present something like "atomic swaps," not only do we define it, but we also provide an analogy, thus connecting the new concept to the ones the reader is already familiar with.
Creating Learning Paths
Teaching digital currency is more than just writing an article - it is a journey by way of interrelated concepts. Structured pathways assist readers in acquiring knowledge step by step.
We at CoinMinutes have come up with learning sequences that commence with the simple and gradually become more intricate. The template, which was instrumental in doubling our reader retention for technical series, is as follows:
Concept Introduction (What problem does this solve?)
Plain Language Explanation (No jargon, analogies)
Visual Representation
Misconception Correction (Address the misunderstanding)
Example (Show it working in a situation)
The reason why this is effective is that it approaches the idea from multiple directions, thus facilitating people's understanding through repetition and at the same time, providing variety in methods and hence, keeping the interest alive.
How We Actually Do This at CoinMinutes
These plans, when put into effect, call for certain systems. This is our way:
Refining crypto content through feedback loops
Checking Our Content
We assess the quality of the existing content by the help of readability scores and technical terminology density measurements. Technical DeFi content was identified by these metrics as the area where we are most challenged in reader comprehension, which has been the focus of our recent work.
Writing Standards
Content standards are the main point of content creation effort guided by writing instructions that emphasize the use of plain language and writer training on explanation skills. These norms are used for keeping consistency while at the same time giving room for creativity in the manner of explaining concepts.
Learning from Readers
Readers' opinions are a source of power for us to make improvements through in-article feedback and community suggestion forums. The feedback - both from surveys and discussions on Discord - helped us understand that the explanations of our mining were the cause of the most significant confusion among our readers, particularly those without technical backgrounds. Using the term "Confused" is an understatement - some readers indicated that they were entirely at a loss, which consequently resulted in a complete reworking of how we explain consensus mechanisms.
Challenges
There are still obstacles despite the fact that we have made some progress. Due to the rapid evolution of Cryptocurrency technology, new jargon and concepts arise at such a pace that educational content can hardly keep up with them. Our efforts in producing the zkSNARK technology explanation have not yet met reader comprehension.
The issue of depth versus accessibility is also giving us a hard time. At what point does simplification turn into falsification of the facts? This question was the main point of our editorial meeting's heated discussion while we were reviewing the explanations of stablecoin collateralization.
Another problem that we are having is that of accessibility in non-English speaking markets. Although machine translation is fast, it often distorts the technical concepts, whereas manual translation is costly and has difficulties going at the same pace with the changing content.
Picked For You: Encouraging Exploration: CoinMinutes' Pathways to Crypto Knowledg
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