Hexplain.it

Explain anything to anyone.

One shape. As many layers as you need. Draw a subject once, then show the board the summary and the engineers the detail.

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Every diagram starts from one hexagon.

One diagram for the board, the manager and the engineer.

Board

Someone joinsSomeonejoinsSomeone changes roleSomeonechangesroleSomeone leavesSomeoneleavesAccess is reviewed. Runs all year. Catches what the other three miss.Access isreviewed
Four hexagons. Someone joins, changes role, leaves, and access is reviewed.

HR and managers

Offer acceptedOfferacceptedPre-start checksPre-startchecksKit and access askedKit andaccessaskedReady for day oneReady forday oneInductionInductionProbation reviewProbationreviewRole change agreedRolechangeagreedNew access addedNew accessaddedOld access removed. Most often missed. People collect access as they move.Old accessremovedManager confirmsManagerconfirmsNotice givenNoticegivenHandoverHandoverLeaving date setLeavingdate setLast dayLast dayAccess closedAccessclosedKit returnedKitreturnedFinal payFinal payQuarterly access reviewQuarterlyaccessreviewFixes madeFixes made
Nineteen hexagons. Each one traces back to one of the board's four.

Identity engineers

HR record createdHR recordcreatedHR to ITSM webhookHR to ITSMwebhookID document scanIDdocumentscanE-signature completeE-signaturecompletePayroll syncPayrollsyncRole profile lookupRoleprofilelookupManager approvalManagerapprovalDirectory user createdDirectoryusercreatedUsername rule appliedUsernameruleappliedTemp password vaultedTemppasswordvaultedGroup rules runGrouprules runApp roles provisionedApp rolesprovisionedLicence pool checkLicencepool checkLicence assignedLicenceassignedMailbox provisionedMailboxprovisionedDistribution listsDistributionlistsDevice enrolledDeviceenrolledDisk encryptedDiskencryptedBaseline apps pushedBaselineappspushedCourier bookedCourierbookedBadge printedBadgeprintedDoor zones setDoor zonessetMFA method registeredMFA methodregisteredConditional access onConditionalaccess onTraining assignedTrainingassigned90-day access report90-dayaccessreportHR role change eventHR rolechangeeventNew profile diffed. Old role profile compared with the new one. The difference drives every step after it.NewprofilediffedGroups addedGroupsaddedLicence tier changedLicencetierchangedGroups removedGroupsremovedApp roles revokedApp rolesrevokedMailbox rights removedMailboxrightsremovedApproval recordedApprovalrecordedHR leaver eventHR leavereventEnd date scheduledEnd datescheduledHandover doc linkedHandoverdoc linkedFile ownership movedFileownershipmovedChecklist generatedChecklistgeneratedSign-in blockedSign-inblockedTokens revokedTokensrevokedMFA methods removedMFAmethodsremovedMailbox to sharedMailbox tosharedAuto-reply setAuto-replysetLicence freedLicencefreedDevice lockedDevicelockedRemote wipeRemotewipeBadge deactivatedBadgedeactivatedFinal pay runFinal payrunAccount deleted day 30. After the retention period.Accountdeletedday 30Entitlement exportEntitlementexportOrphan accounts flaggedOrphanaccountsflaggedReview tasks sentReviewtasks sentRemovals automatedRemovalsautomatedAudit evidence storedAuditevidencestored
Fifty-five hexagons. The red ones are the steps most often missed.

How it works

  1. 01One shapeHexagons only. No lines, no arrows. Things that are related touch, and a hexagon only has six sides, so you have to decide what matters.
  2. 02LayersWhen a layer gets crowded, the detail moves down a layer. Each layer is a complete diagram for one audience.
  3. 03Ask an AI to draw itConnect your AI assistant and ask for a subject at three levels. It builds the diagram. You move things until it is right.

Open an example

Someone joinsSomeonejoinsSomeone changes roleSomeonechangesroleSomeone leavesSomeoneleavesAccess is reviewed. Runs all year. Catches what the other three miss.Access isreviewed
Joiners, movers, leavers4 layers, from the board to identity engineers
SunlightSunlightAirAirWaterWaterPlant. Plants make their own food from light, air and water.PlantFoodFoodOxygenOxygen
Photosynthesis3 layers, from age 5 to undergraduate
Goods arriveGoodsarriveGoods storedGoodsstoredOrder pickedOrderpickedOrder sentOrder sent
Warehouse inventory3 layers, with a returns loop
Breach foundBreachfoundTold what happenedTold whathappenedSupport lineSupportlinePassword resetPasswordresetFollow-up letterFollow-upletter
Data breach response4 views: customer, security, legal, board
Three pigsThree pigsWolfWolfBrick house winsBrickhouse wins
The Three Little Pigs2 layers, age 4 and age 9
TakerTakerRaised arm signalRaised armsignalNear post groupNear postgroupFar post groupFar postgroupEdge-of-box coverEdge-of-boxcover
Corner kick3 moments: set up, delivery, finish

Each opens to view. Make your own copy to edit it, with no sign-up.

Who it is for

Anyone who wants to describe something. If you know a subject well and need someone else to understand it, Hexplain.it is for you.

Start simple with a few hexagons, then add as much detail as you need on the layers below. Each person reads the level that suits them. One shape and plain words keep it easy to follow, whatever someone's background or experience.

For example

  • Teachers. One topic, drawn once, for every age you teach.
  • Scientists. The public story and the full mechanism in the same place.
  • Engineers. One system for users, product, security and the board.
  • Operations. A process end to end, with who owns each step.

These are just a few. If you can describe it, you can draw it.

Pick something you know well and draw it.

Start a diagram