Confusion is annoying.

So don’t annoy them.

Give them the date, the time and the address.

But then stop and ask yourself: what else do they actually need?

There’s a difference between giving people the information they need and telling them so much there’s nothing left to discover.

Years ago, I went to Secret Cinema’s Blade Runner experience.

Beforehand, everyone was allocated different characters and told how to dress. Some of us were given specific things to bring with us. I seem to remember some people were told to bring umbrellas, but not everyone.

So you assumed it was part of the costume.

Umbrella. Fine. Got it.

Then, at some point during the experience, while we were completely immersed in this incredible Blade Runner world they’d created…

…it only went and started raining. Indoors!!!

Actually raining.

Man alive, that moment. The squeals, the glee, the “what the…?!?”s. I still think about it.

They’d told people to bring an umbrella. They just hadn’t told them why.

And that, for me, is the difference.

Of course there are things people need to know. What should I wear? Do I need to bring anything? Is it accessible to me? Is there anything I need to do beforehand?

Tell them those things. Clearly.

If they’re going to be standing outside in a downpour, tell them to bring an umbrella. There’s nothing mysterious about being cold, wet and pissed off.

But if you’re going to make it rain indoors?

Maybe keep that bit to yourself.

Because there’s a huge difference between an unpleasant surprise that could have been avoided and the absolute joy of something happening that you genuinely didn’t see coming.

That’s the bit I think we sometimes get wrong.

We seem to have confused giving people clarity with telling them everything.

You can make somebody feel completely looked after and still leave plenty for them to discover.

Give people enough information that they trust you.

Then give them some space to wonder.