A good primer by Ted-Ed on the process of turning a complex idea into visuals that can be used in an animated explainer video.
Reading in email? Watch the video here.
While the major points are great, I think it leaves out the creativity and complexity involved in producing the visuals themselves. It's a huge barrier for DIY video creators because it often requires expensive programs and extensive know-how. That's why we're fans (and partners) of GoAnimate, which provides tons of ready-made visuals and simple tools for animating them, including Common Craft Cut-outs.
NOTE: If you're interested in learning in-depth about the skill of explanation and how to make Common Craft Style videos, check out our online courses at the Explainer Academy.