Sunday
Sep282008
Simplicity is key
Sunday, September 28, 2008 at 6:42AM 
Jing is a great example of a simple, yet powerful tool. Its install took me no longer than 2 minutes (just next, next, next my way through it) and once setup, it's tied to a set of hotkeys to do all that you need to do. This bares the question --How simple is too simple?
The proper answer is that there is no such thing as "too simple". Ease of use is the key to helping users and friends to adopt your product or idea. KISS (Keep it simple, stupid) has been instilled in me since the days I was in diapers and for good reason. Over-complicating things can lead to a product that is bloated (think Microsoft Winodws), difficult to use (think Lotus Notes) and sluggish (think iTunes). In addition, by creating rings of fire for people to jump through, you cause a severe barrier to entry. Why would someone take 5 steps to do something when they can take 2?
Keep this in mind when designing your products? Time is money and your users will appreciate that you'd like to save them both. Jing has the right idea, how about you? What products do you feel are over-complicated?
Reader Comments (4)
New blog post: Simplicity is key http://tinyurl.com/4fkssa
The problem with simple as a construct is what is simple to one person isn't simple to everyone. For example - you said "hotkeys". My dad has no idea what a hotkey is.
Staying user-centric is what you're talking about, and I agree, that's important. 37signals has taken this methodology to an extreme (some would argue, to a fault), with their super-simplistic apps. The hardest part isn't making it simple, it's KEEPING it simple.
While I agree with you, part of simplicity comes from proper education while being simple. Apple is great at this (in many cases). Their instructions and quick start guides are easy for people to read and understand at any level. While your Dad may not understand what "hotkeys" are, a simple guide/help screen could solve this issue and still allow the product to stay simple.
In addition to that, being user-centric is something I'd leave up for debate. Part of the problem with this direction is that staying user-centric could cause a product to be stuck in only one group of people. Take Twitter, it's designed for us. It works great for us and it keeps thing simple for us. What it doesn't do is open the door as easily for others. My little brother isn't at the computer a lot, doesn't have an iPhone and can't be receiving thousands of text messages per day. His phone doesn't have a Twitter client so he winds up no being able to use the service. Not sure if this idea makes sense (it's been a long weekend) but it's what scares me about being user-centric.
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