I've always gone with the domain, rather than the task.
Me: "I build medical instruments"
Them: "Oh." sometimes followed by "like what?"
Me: "Blood test machines"
Them: "Cool. You like football?"
Most people have little idea what a computer programmer does. But they can understand that when a nurse takes their blood it goes into an instrument that measures different things about it and that's good enough for them.
Me: "I build medical instruments"
Them: "Oh." sometimes followed by "like what?"
Me: "Blood test machines"
Them: "Cool. You like football?"
Most people have little idea what a computer programmer does. But they can understand that when a nurse takes their blood it goes into an instrument that measures different things about it and that's good enough for them.