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the answer to this question seems to be on the tip of my tongue but I can't seem to find it.

I'm looking for a word that defines the act of "stripping down to the basics"

For example, if I'm talking with a friend and he says running a business is complex and I respond by saying, "You just have to focus on generating sales, reducing overhead, etc"

Now, the act of me "taking something complex and explaining it in simpler form" is the word I'm looking for.

I'm aware of phrases like gross oversimplification but I feel like there is a word that literally means the act of taking something complex and making it simple.

The first couple words that came to me were rudimentary, primitive, but is there anything else I'm missing?

Dan
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I feel like there is a word that literally means the act of taking something complex and making it simple.

As you eluded to, it's simplify:

[Merriam-Webster]
: to make simple or simpler: such as
a : to reduce to basic essentials
b : to diminish in scope or complexity : STREAMLINE
     // was urged to simplify management procedures
c : to make more intelligible : CLARIFY

As an adjective, something is simplistic, streamlined, or essential.

As a noun phrase, you reduce something to the bare essentials.

Jason Bassford
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