My Thoughts on Keeping It Simple

The Thought of Simplicity

Simplicity is powerful. It’s easy to think that more complexity means more value, but simplicity often leads to greater elegance and efficiency. The key to designing something useful, whether it’s a tool, an app, or a system, is to keep it simple. Don’t overcomplicate things that don’t need to be complicated. Make it as simple as possible while still getting the job done.

When I think about simplicity, I think of how things should feel natural and effortless to use. The best systems don’t make you think about how to use them; they work seamlessly. Whether it’s using an app, a website, or a tool, it should feel intuitive. If it feels complicated, chances are, it needs to be simplified. Maybe refined into a more simple form.

The Simplicity of a VIdeo Game

At the heart of every game, there’s usually a very simple action. A core mechanic. For example, in a racing game, it’s steering. In a puzzle game, it might be rotating a block. These actions are simple, but the challenge comes in mastering them. Over time, as you practice, you refine that action and get better at it. It’s not the complexity of the mechanic that’s challenging, it’s the mastery of it.

The same idea applies to designing apps, tools, and systems. The goal is to make things easy to use with as few steps as possible. For example, can I get the information I need without squinting at the screen? Could I explain how to use it to someone who has never seen it before without frustrating them? These are the questions I ask when designing anything.

The ask of the user should be minimal, with the application doing the heavy lifting.

Frictionless Implementation

The key is to remove friction. Every extra step, every bit of confusion, takes away from the user’s experience. It wears down their motivation. That’s why the real work happens behind the scenes. You put in the hard, complicated work in the design phase so that, to the end user, everything feels simple and easy to use.