01
Describe the situation
Choose a person trying to accomplish something in a particular context. Focus on the task, constraints, and environment rather than inventing a biography that stands in for evidence.
02
Follow the friction
Ask what the person must notice, understand, remember, or physically do. A principle in a book becomes easier to examine when it is connected to one of those demands.
03
Consider who is missing
Question whether the example assumes a certain ability, language, device, or amount of prior knowledge. An attractive demonstration may leave important circumstances unexplored.
04
Turn the insight into a check
Write an observable question you could investigate with the relevant people. Avoid assuming that your own experience represents everyone else. Use the book to sharpen the inquiry.