Context Of Practice : The Laws of Simplicity

Key Notes & Quotes:

10 Laws -

Reduce

'The fundamental question is, where's the balance between simplicity and complexity?' - p.1
'The process of reaching an ideal stage of simplicity can be truly complex.' p.1
'The simplest way to achieve simplicity is through thoughtful reduction.' - p.1
'When is it possible to reduce a system's functionality without significant penalty, true simplification is realised.' - p.2
'Any design that incorporates lightness and thinness conveys the impression of being smaller, lesser and humbler.' - p.4
Smaller technology - 'Lessening the inevitable complicating blow of these technologies by way of SHRINK may seem like a form of deception, which it is. But anything that can make the medicine of complexity go down easier is a form of simplicity, even when it is an act of deceit.' - p.5
'Lessen what you can and conceal everything else without losing the sense of inherent value.' - p.9
'EMBODY-ing a greater sense of quality through enhanced materials and other messaging cues is an important subtle counterbalance to SHRINK-ing and HIDE-ing the directly understood aspects of a product.' - p.8
'Design, technology and business work in concert to realise the final decisions that will lead to how much reduction in a product is tolerable, and how much quality it will embody in spite of its reduced state of being.' - p.9

Organise

'Organisation make a system of many appear fewer.' - p.12
The Gestalt of the ipod - 'In both perceiving and visually representing the natural organisation of objects, we are supported by the mind's powerful ability to detect and form patterns.' - p.17
'Gestalt psychologists believe that there are a variety of mechanisms inside the brain that lend to pattern forming.' - p.17

Learn

Wolfgang Weingart - same introductory lecture every summer but simple each time - 'Through focusing on the basics of the basics, he was able to reduce everything that he knew to the concentrated essence of what he wished to convey.' - p.36
'Simplicity and repetition works and everyone does it.' - p.36
'The best designers marry function with form to create intuitive experiences that we understand immediately - no lessons (or cursing) needed.' - p.39
'Good design relies to some extent on the ability to instill a sense of instant familiarity.' - p.39
'Metaphors are useful platforms for transferring a large body of existing knowledge from one context to another with minimal, often imperceptible, effort on the part of the person crossing the conceptual bridge.' - p.41
'A metaphor used as a learning shortcut for complex design is most effective when its execution is both relevant and delightfully unexpected.' p.41

Differences

'Simplicity and complexity need each other.' - p.45
'nobody wants to have only simplicity without the counterpart of complexity, we could not recognise simplicity when we see it.' - p.45
'The more complexity there is in the market, the more that something simpler stands out.' - p.45
'because technology will continue to grow in complexity, there is a clear economic benefit too adopting a strategy of simplicity that will help to set your product apart. That said, establishing a feeling of simplicity in design requires making complexity consciously available in some explicit form.' - p.45-46
'Finding the right balance between simplicity and complexity is difficult.' - p.46
'What lies in the periphery of simplicity is definitely not peripheral.' -p.54
'The sixth law emphasises the importance of what might become lost during the design process. That which appears to be of immediate relevance may not be nearly as important compared to everything else around. Our goal is to achieve a kind of enlightened shallowness.' - p.54
'When there is less, we appreciate everything much more.' - p.56
'Complexity implies the feeling of being lost; simplicity implies the feeling of being found.' - p.61
'Simplicity can be considered ugly.' - p.63

Emotion

'While great art makes you wonder, great design makes things clear.' - p.70
'Sometimes, though, clarity alone is not the best design solution.' - p.70
'A certain kind of more is always better than less- more care, more love, more meaningful actions.' - p.71
'In simplicity we trust.' - p.73

Failure

'Some things can never be made simple.' - p.83
'One man's failed experiment in simplicity can be another man's success as a beautiful form of complexity. Simplicity and complexity shift with subtle changes in point of view.' - p.83
'Deeming something as complex or simple requires a frame of reference.' - p.84
'Complexity and simplicity are two symbiotic qualities... each needs the other- its respective definition depends upon the others existence.' - p.84
'To realise a world of complete simplicity would mean that complexity would have to become completely eradicated. And with only simplicity remaining, how would you know what is truly simple? Thus failing to achieve simplicity is an important service to humanity.' - p.84

The Flaws of Simplicity

'Differences - simplicity and complexity need eachother.
Context - what lies in the periphery of simplicity is definitely not peripheral.
Emotion - more emotions are better than less.
Trust - in simplicity we trust.' - p.85
'a single answer is not readily available to achieve the optimal balance between simplicity and complexity.' - p.86

The One

'Simplicity is hopelessly subtle, and many of its defining characteristics are implicit (noting that it hides in SIMPLICITY.)' - p.89
'Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious, and adding the meaningful.' - p.89
'Ten laws (10 : one, zero), remove none (0 : zero), and you're left with one (10 : one).' - p.89

Power

Books to look at:

The Tipping Point - Malcolm Gladwell (2002)

The Paradox of Choice - Barry Sxhwarts (2005)

Friday 10 November 2017