Brainstorm or Bust #1: Building Effective Stories in Emerging Technologies

Giving a go on LinkedIn as a bit more as a communal mechanism of brainstorming. Would love thoughts and opinions on my questions below.

Thought and question to the LinkedIn Community on describing technology: Describing emerging technological concepts can be vague and difficult.

Many times, these technologies and the "next wave of the future" are difficult to envision and intangible. In the world of emerging technologies and ambiguity, how do you succinctly describe a technical concept to non-technical audiences in which the concept has yet to be given a "hard" definition (standards, regulations, protocols do not exist yet)? Dozens of organizations and professionals have published their opinions, thoughts or examples on a topic or concept but leading authorities have yet to develop a "hard" or standard definition with baseline protocols and requirements.

In this era of fast-paced discovery and innovation, technologists strive to be effective storytellers and connect the dots between the intangible, complex and realistic. How do you capture the appropriate components to create a story or description that resonates with the audience as well as supports the core essence of the technology concept without getting sucked into the noise?

Example: how would you explain blockchain technology to 21 year old English majors at a liberal arts school? Or possibly to your neighbor who is a retired 90-year old Catholic nun? The spectrum of potential audiences is endless. What elements of a good story structure resonate with both audiences?

Would love to hear your thoughts. Open for forum discussions or PMs. Thank you for your insights!