A description is the transmission of information. It contains the answers to the questions Who, Where, When, What, and How Many. Being able to accurately describe something is helpful. It provides value to data and provides us with reference.

An explanation is the translation of information. It contains the answers to the question Why. Being able to accurately explain something is helpful. It adds insight to the information in the form of meaning.

It is easy to confuse describing something as explaining something. The confusion can be compounded because the two sides are not aligned around value. Looking for meaning and getting a description can feel cold or uncaring. Looking for a description and getting meaning can feel emotional or miss the mark.

The classy problem is to see that we are confusing a desire for information with the desire for understanding.