10 Laws of simplicity
Simplicity is a mandatory key in a UX designer flow.
There are too many gurus in the UX field that agree about the simplicity principle. However, there are a lot of interpretations about this term. But we can just start from the beginning with Leonardo Da Vinci:
With this concept in mind, we move forward into UX field:
According to the Interaction Design Foundation, Simplicity is a design philosophy championed by many successful companies like Apple and Google. When you design with the user’s key goals in mind, you are designing for simplicity. Incorporating simplicity in your designs will help you design better user interfaces by helping your users achieve their goals faster and more efficiently, all while enjoying a great user experience.
“You don’t want to include anything that will distract or require someone to put more effort into obtaining what they need to obtain.”
- Dominic Wong
In my humble opinion, the best approach for this concept is given by Scott Belsky, who perfectly resumed the concept with “more options, more problems”. Hick’s law states that the more options available for the users, the longer time it will take for them to make a decision.
In the other hand is John Maeda, who go foward with this concept. Maeda is an American executive spearheading a new convergence across the design and technology industries. He had developed the 10 laws of simplicity:
Law #1: Reduce
The simplest way to achieve simplicity is through thoughtful reduction.
Law #2: Organize
Organization makes a sustem of many appear fewer
Law #3: Time
Savings in time feel like simplicity
Law #4: Learn
Knowledge makes everything simpler.
Law #5: Differences
Simplicity and complexity need each other.
Law #6: Context
What lies in the periphery of simplicity is definitely not peropheral.
Law #7: Emotion
More emotions are better than less.
Law #8: Trust
In simplicity we trust
Law #9: Failure
Some things can never be made simple.
Law #10: The one
Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious, and adding the meaningful.
For further information, you can visit: Lawsofsimplicity.com. I hope this article has helped you to understand better the importance of simplicity in the field of UX.
