E-Book Overview
Finally, we are learning that simplicity equals sanity. We're rebelling against technology that's too complicated, DVD players with too many menus, and software accompanied by 75-megabyte "read me" manuals. The iPod's clean gadgetry has made simplicity hip. But sometimes we find ourselves caught up in the simplicity paradox: we want something that's simple and easy to use, but also does all the complex things we might ever want it to do. In The Laws of Simplicity, John Maeda offers ten laws for balancing simplicity and complexity in business, technology, and design--guidelines for needing less and actually getting more.Maeda--a professor in MIT's Media Lab and a world-renowned graphic designer--explores the question of how we can redefine the notion of "improved" so that it doesn't always mean something more, something added on.Maeda's first law of simplicity is "Reduce." It's not necessarily beneficial to add technology features just because we can. And the features that we do have must be organized (Law 2) in a sensible hierarchy so users aren't distracted by features and functions they don't need. But simplicity is not less just for the sake of less. Skip ahead to Law 9: "Failure: Accept the fact that some things can never be made simple." Maeda's concise guide to simplicity in the digital age shows us how this idea can be a cornerstone of organizations and their products--how it can drive both business and technology. We can learn to simplify without sacrificing comfort and meaning, and we can achieve the balance described in Law 10. This law, which Maeda calls "The One," tells us: "Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious, and adding the meaningful."
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endorse it—or not. I quickly found myself mesmerized—and thence the only issue was deciding what were the strongest words I could muster in support of The Laws of Simplicity. The book is important; and Maeda has made an absurdly complex subject—simplicity—approachable and usable. Bravo! I hope the people who design the products I’ll acquire in the next ten years take this book to heart.”
THE LAWS OF SIMPLICITY
“ I planned to skim/sample John Maeda’s book, then decide to
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Finally, we are learning that simplicity equals sanity. We’re rebelling against technology that’s too complicated, DVD players with too many menus, and software
DESIGN, TECHNOLOGY, BUSINESS, LIFE
accompanied by 75-megabyte “read me” manuals. The iPod’s clean gadgetry has made simplicity hip. But sometimes we find ourselves caught up in the simplicity para-
—Tom Peters
dox: we want something that’s simple and easy to use, but also does all the complex things we might ever want it to do. In The Laws of Simplicity, John Maeda oΩers ten
“ If brevity is the soul of wit, simplicity is the soul of design. John
laws for balancing simplicity and complexity in business,
Maeda uses the concept of simplicity to get at the nature of
technology, and design—guidelines for needing less and
human thought and perception while drawing out tangible appliGraphic designer, visual artist, and computer scientist John Maeda is the founder of the SIMPLICITY Consortium at the MIT Media Lab, where he is E. Rudge
actually getting more. Maeda—a professor in MIT’s Media Lab and a
cations for business, technology, and life in general. The Laws of
world-renowned graphic designer—explores the ques-
Simplicity is thoroughly optimistic, entertaining, and erudite, just
tion of how we can redefine the notion of “improved” so
as you would expect from Maeda. It is also the most compelling
that it doesn’t always mean something more, something
His work has been exhibited in Tokyo, New York,<