simplicity is adding polish and design not dumbing down
Another definition of ’simplicity’ as seen in the Backspin opinion page of Mark Gibbs at Network World:
“When I use the word simplicity I don’t mean dumbing down, I mean adding polish and applying serious design effort to make the software or hardware not just usable but actually a pleasure to use.” [1]
Mark also observes that we regularly encounter many complex products. Why?
He notes that the amount of complexity and detail in products and problem solving is overwhelming. Once overwhelmed, we take shortcuts (we don’t read doc, test, or fully understand before proceeding) and then make mistakes. We are not likely to see products improve because users are not likely to complain about the complexity (we are likely just too exhausted to complain).
1. Outrage and lust, by Mark Gibbs, Backspin, Network World, 01/12/2007, http://www.networkworld.com/columnists/2007/011507-backspin.html