Sketchplanations

Explaining one thing a week in a sketch

What is The Effect Effect explained: two colleagues are left in no doubt as to the veracity of research presented to them because it has been labelled as an "effect". Indeed, one heads straight off to tell their friends about it.

The Effect Effect

The effect effect is the undoubted extra stickiness and shareability of an idea by calling it an effect.

There’s something about summing up a piece of research or an observation with the name effect that makes it a whole lot easier to communicate and remember.

Compare, for example:

  • The more solar panels installed in a neighbourhood the greater chance of a growth of solar panels in that neighbourhood
  • The neighbourhood effect

And, for those of you wondering why it’s not the affect affect, here's a sketch explaining when to use affect vs effect

Perhaps because of the effect effect, I've covered a lot of effects already in sketches (though there are many more to do). See all "effect" sketches

Keep exploring

The one-hoss shay - Sketchplanations
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