How did complexity become the evil villain, simplicity a
hero?
Complexity is not bad always. Even the world is complex and our tools must
work in that world, so they must match it. People need complex tools, products,
and services.
People does not want simplicity. How do I say? Because when offered a
choice between something really simple and something that actually accomplishes
things people wants done, even though more complex, they will chose complexity.
On the other hand we do not wish to be confused, puzzled, and frustrated by
our tools as well. People misunderstand that complexity leads to confusion. No, it doesn't
always. This is the role of good design to make complex things simple to
understand and easy to use.
When we talk about simplicity, we need to ask how
"simple" is being judged from what point of view. Elegant,
special-purpose tools are always simpler than complex, multi-functional ones.
Why is it that the tools of the crafts worker always seem
simple and elegant? Consider woodworking, gardening or sports
such as camping, hiking, and mountain climbing. All of them have simple,
straightforward tools. Then why must our electronic tools be so complicated? Now you can say the above comparison is misleading as it
is not fair enough to compare such totally different domains.
But the real complexity does not lie in the tools, but in
the task. Skilled workers have an array of tools, each carefully matched to a
particular task requirement. It can take years to learn which tool goes with
which task, and years to master the tools. The tool set is complicated because
the task is complicated. Looking at the visual simplicity of the tool is
misleading. The mark of the great designer is the ability to provide
what people need without excessive complexity.
Make things understandable and they are perceived as being
simple. It is the job of the designer to manage complexity with skill and
grace, to ensure that complex things are understandable, usable, and enjoyable. The mark of the great designer is the ability to
provide the complexity that people need in a manner that is understandable and
elegant. Simplicity should never be the goal. Complex things will require
complexity. It is the job of the designer to manage that complexity with skill
and grace.
Simple can be a siren just as easily as it can be a signal. Good simplicity is less with leverage, not less with less. Good simplicity is complexity disguised, not complexity denied. Don't give in to stupidity when creating simplicity.