Squiggly Careers Podcast: Learn Smarter – The Feynman Technique, Don’t Know Notebook & Problem Testing
Date: September 30, 2025
Hosts: Sarah Ellis (A) & Helen Tupper (B)
Episode Format: Borrowed Brilliance
Overview:
In this episode, Sarah and Helen experiment with a new "Borrowed Brilliance" format, exploring learnings from the legendary physicist Richard Feynman. They discuss how Feynman's approaches to curiosity and knowledge retention can transform learning and problem-solving at work. The episode covers three key strategies: the Feynman Technique, the Don’t Know Notebook, and Problem Testing, providing practical takeaways for career development.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. The Feynman Technique (03:47 – 10:24)
- Essence: Learn deeply by explaining what you learn as if teaching it to a child—using simple, jargon-free language.
- Why it works: Forces you to clarify your understanding, highlight gaps, and structure knowledge sequentially.
- Actionable Advice: After learning something new, practice explaining it out loud in the simplest terms possible.
Quote:
“The Feynman technique is all about teaching what you are learning as though you are teaching it to a child… It has to be really, really simple and really, really sticky.” — Helen (03:53)
Real-World Application:
- Sarah's example: Using AI to simplify complex topics for her 8-year-old, like explaining "camera obscura".
- Teaching tip: Analogies help—like exercise instructors using ‘Malteser in your belly button’ for core engagement (09:00).
Quote:
“There’s an action here about you teaching to other people, but there’s also an action about if you’re not sure on something… you could practice on AI and say, how would you make this simpler?” — Sarah (06:52)
Clarification:
- Helen stresses: Don’t rely solely on AI. The key benefit is in you organizing and distilling the knowledge yourself (09:34).
2. The Don’t Know Notebook (10:59 – 17:26)
- Essence: Keep a dedicated log of things you don’t understand—from acronyms to industry jargon—and regularly work through filling these gaps.
- Origins: Inspired by Feynman’s own practice of tracking unknowns and methodically converting them into things he learned.
Quote:
“Noticing what you don’t know rather than ignoring it and placing as much value on having a list of things that you don’t know as having a book of things that you do.” — Helen (11:25)
Practical Examples:
- Helen: Maintains a personal list of unfamiliar words for self-study.
- Sarah: Used this method during a first board away day in a new industry—helping her raise questions at the right moment and avoid feeling overwhelmed (13:11).
In Teams:
- Tip: Encourage new team members to keep a don't know notebook and review it together, creating a psychologically safe environment to ask questions.
Quote:
“Having a don’t know notebook is actually a bit exposing because you’re like, oh, here’s… all these words, I have all these, like, words that I’ll read in, like, the newspaper, and I think, I don’t know what that word is. And then…I write down a definition of it.” — Helen (12:48)
Feynman Quote Highlight:
“I would rather have questions that can’t be answered than answers that can’t be questioned.” (17:29)
3. Problem Testing – Playing With Problems (17:29 – 25:21)
- Essence: Go beyond simple lists of problems and solutions. Collect both, then look for unexpected connections—lateral thinking sparks innovation.
- Method:
- Maintain:
- A list of pressing or "naughty, messy" problems.
- A separate log of clever or creative solutions found elsewhere (even if unrelated).
- Periodically, try linking problems with unrelated solutions for fresh perspectives.
- Maintain:
Example Conversation:
- Sarah jokes about her failed attempt to poach an egg and how she could borrow ideas from meal kit subscription models (18:23–19:08).
Insight:
- Problem testing encourages sharing and exploring challenges rather than enforcing the “Don’t bring me problems, bring me solutions” work cliché (22:33).
- Sarah: “If problems in organizations are seen as something to explore and to share and to discuss, you get to very different outcomes and actually you’re much more likely to solve the problems.” (22:33)
Team Takeaway:
- Implement as a recurring group activity for complex or persistent issues—not quick fixes.
- “Playing with the problem” makes space for curiosity and non-linear leaps in thinking.
Quote:
“It’s the naughty, messy ones that need a bit of creative thought. I think this is what this is good for.” — Helen (25:21)
Practical Tools and Prompts
- Feynman Technique: Practice distilling new learnings as if teaching a child.
- Don’t Know Notebook: List questions and revisit regularly. Safe for individuals and team onboarding.
- Problem Testing: Each team member brings an interesting solution to a group session and tries matching it to current problems.
AI Prompt Example (27:00):
“I am a [your job title] in [context]. I want to tweak my week to bring in some Richard Feynman-style learning. Write down five questions I could start my day with…”
— Provided in the downloadable POD sheet.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- 03:53 — “The Feynman technique is all about teaching what you are learning as though you are teaching it to a child… It has to be really, really simple and really, really sticky.” — Helen
- 06:52 — “There’s an action here about you teaching to other people, but there’s also an action about if you’re not sure on something…” — Sarah
- 11:25 — “Noticing what you don’t know rather than ignoring it…” — Helen
- 13:11 — “It ends up being reassuring to know what you don’t know…” — Sarah
- 17:29 — “I would rather have questions that can’t be answered than answers that can’t be questioned.” — Richard Feynman, read by Helen
- 22:33 — “If problems in organizations are seen as something to explore and to share and to discuss, you get to very different outcomes…” — Sarah
- 28:26 — “Being wrong isn’t a bad thing like they teach you in school. It’s an opportunity to learn something.” — Feynman, read by Helen
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:00 – 02:30: Introduction to Borrowed Brilliance format
- 02:30 – 06:17: Introduction to Richard Feynman & The Feynman Technique
- 06:17 – 10:24: Feynman Technique in practice and examples
- 10:59 – 17:26: Don’t Know Notebook explained and real uses
- 17:29 – 25:21: Problem Testing/Playing With Problems
- 25:21 – 26:52: Summary of key ideas & favourite practices
- 26:52 – 29:46: AI prompts, reflections, community invitation, close
Final Thoughts
Helen and Sarah model Feynman’s curiosity and humility throughout, encouraging listeners to embrace the unknown, make learning more playful, and challenge traditional “linear” problem-solving. The episode blends personal anecdotes and actionable steps, making classic Feynman-inspired thinking feel fresh and accessible for anyone navigating a squiggly career.
Listener Call: The hosts invite feedback on the new format and encourage sharing of how listeners adapt these techniques to their own work lives.
Contact: helenandsarah@squigglycareers.com
Extra: All referenced prompts and resources are available in their weekly POD sheet.