Choose the question a viewer needs answered
Begin with a concrete question such as what changed, how a process works or why a decision matters to the intended audience. A broad subject is not yet a structure. “A town’s new bus timetable” becomes more manageable when the question is “What changes for people travelling to the station?”
Write a provisional answer in plain language, then identify what must be verified before it can be used. Keep the question open to revision if the evidence does not support the original angle. A compelling premise is not a reason to force uncertain facts into a predetermined story.
Build the sequence from claims and context
List the claims required to answer the question and attach the source that supports each. Distinguish the direct evidence from your explanation of its implications. Include dates and relevant scope so an older statement is not presented as a current one.
For a fictional timetable explainer, the official schedule might support the departure times while an interview describes a traveller’s experience. Those sources do different jobs. One person’s experience should not silently become evidence for how every passenger is affected.
Order the script by the viewer’s next question
Give the answer or central change early, then explain the mechanism, the practical consequence and any remaining uncertainty. Define unfamiliar terms at the moment they become necessary. Avoid beginning with background history that viewers cannot yet connect to the question.
The example below is a fictional editorial structure, not reporting about an actual transport service.
| Section | Editorial job |
|---|---|
| What changes | State the verified change and effective date. |
| Who is affected | Specify routes and journeys within the evidence. |
| How to check a journey | Show the relevant official information. |
| What remains unclear | Name unanswered questions without filling gaps. |
Verify the images as well as the words
Review the assembled script, graphics and pictures together. An accurate sentence can become misleading beside an image that implies a different place, time or event. Label fictional or illustrative material clearly where its role could otherwise be misunderstood.
Before publication, recheck changeable claims and record the review date. Preserve the claim-to-source record so an editor can investigate a challenge or correction. If a central fact changes, update the programme’s explanation and relevant supporting text rather than adjusting one isolated caption and leaving the original implication intact.
Questions & answers
How much background should I include?
Include context that changes how the viewer understands the answer. Move interesting but nonessential history out of the main sequence if it delays the central explanation.
Can the explainer end with uncertainty?
Yes. State what is known, what is not established and what evidence would resolve the open question. A clear limit is more useful than a confident conclusion the sources cannot support.
Explore the workflow with your own idea.