The Laws of Simplicity - Deepstash
The Laws of Simplicity

The Laws of Simplicity

John Maeda

286

8

Keep reading for FREE

Law 1: REDUCE

Law 1: REDUCE

The simplest way to achieve simplicity is through thoughtful reduction.

When in doubt, just remove. But be careful of what you remove.

676

12.8K reads

Reduction by the SHE Method: Shrink

Simplicity is about the unexpected pleasure derived from what is likely to be insignificant and would otherwise go unnoticed.

Fragility is an essential counteracting force to complexity because it can instil pity— which by coincidence also occurs in the word SIMPLICITY!

545

10K reads

Reduction by the SHE Method: HIDE

When all features that can be removed have been, and a product has been made slim, light, and thin, it’s time for the second method: HIDE the complexity through brute-force methods.

Hiding complexity through ingenious mechanical doors or tiny display screens is an overt form of deception. If the deceit feels less like malevolence, more like magic, then hidden complexities become more of a treat than a nuisance.

544

6.7K reads

Reduction by the SHE Method: Embody

EMBODY-ing quality is primarily a business decision, more than one of design or technology. The quality can be actual, as embodied by better materials and craftsmanship; or the quality can be perceived, as portrayed in a thoughtful marketing campaign.

Exactly where to invest— real or believed quality— to get maximum return is a question with no single definitive answer.

526

4.73K reads

Law 2: ORGANIZE

Organization makes a system of many appear fewer.

To do it:

  • SORT: Write down on small post-it notes each datum to be SLIP-ped. Move them around on a flat surface to find the natural groupings.
  • LABEL: Each group deserves a relevant name. If a name cannot be decided upon, an arbitrary code can be assigned such as a letter, number, or colour.
  • INTEGRATE : Whenever possible, integrate groups that appear significantly like each other.
  • PRIORITIZE: Finally, collect the highest priority items into a single set to ensure that they receive the most attention.

569

3.39K reads

Law 3: TIME

Shrinking the time of a process can sometimes only go so far, and so an alternative means to “saving” time is to hide its passage by simply removing time displays from the environment.

531

4.25K reads

Law 4: LEARN

Knowledge makes everything simpler. Learning occurs best when there is a desire to attain specific knowledge.

To teach:

  • BASICS are the beginning.
  • REPEAT yourself often.
  • AVOID creating desperation.
  • INSPIRE with examples.
  • NEVER forget to repeat yourself.
  • REPEAT-ting yourself can be embarrassing, especially if you are self-conscious.
  • AVOID-ing desperation is something to target when learning is concerned.
  • INSPIRATION is the ultimate catalyst for learning: internal motivation trumps external reward.

570

3.07K reads

Law 5: DIFFERENCES

Simplicity and complexity need each other.

Understand the duality in the world around you.

531

3.51K reads

Law 6: CONTEXT

What lies in the periphery of simplicity is definitely not peripheral.

This law emphasizes 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.

514

2.57K reads

The Paradox Of Lost And Found

The opportunity lost by increasing the amount of blank space is gained back with enhanced attention on what remains.

There is an important tradeoff between being completely lost in the unknown and completely found in the familiar. Too familiar can have the positive aspect of making complete sense, which to some can seem boring; too unknown can have the negative connotations of danger, which to some can seem a thrill.

530

2.19K reads

Law 7: EMOTION

Our society, systems, and artefacts require active engagement in care, attention, and feeling— the business value may not be immediately apparent. But the fulfilment from living a meaningful life is the ROE (Return on Emotion).

A certain kind of more is always better than less— more care, more love, and more meaningful actions. I don’t think I need to say anything more really. More emotions are better than less.

521

2K reads

Law 8: TRUST

  • In simplicity we trust.
  • The goal of LEAN BACK is to achieve relaxation as the desired state.
  • Overconfidence is usually the enemy of greatness, and there’s little room for personal ego when pleasing a customer is the true priority.
  • The more a system knows about you, the less you have to think. Conversely, the more you know about the system, the greater control you can exact.

521

1.85K reads

Law 9: FAILURE

  • Some things can never be made simple.
  • There’s always an ROF (Return On Failure) when you try to simplify— which is to learn from your mistakes.
  • Deeming something as complex or simple requires a frame of reference.

520

2.11K reads

Law 10: THE ONE

Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious, and adding the meaningful.

  • Key 1: AWAY More appears like less by simply moving it far, far away.
  • Key 2: OPEN Openness simplifies complexity.
  • Key 3: POWER Use less, gain more.

LIFE - Technology and life only become complex if you let it be so.

532

2K reads

The 10 Laws: Recap

  • REDUCE - The simplest way to achieve simplicity is through thoughtful reduction.
  • ORGANIZE - Organization makes a system of many appear fewer.
  • TIME - Savings in time feel like simplicity.
  • LEARN - Knowledge makes everything simpler.
  • DIFFERENCES - Simplicity and complexity need each other.
  • CONTEXT - What lies in the periphery of simplicity is definitely not peripheral.
  • EMOTION - More emotions are better than less.
  • TRUST - In simplicity we trust.
  • FAILURE - Some things can never be made simple.
  • THE ONE - Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious, and adding the meaningful.

604

1.89K reads

CURATED BY

CURATOR'S NOTE

The book presents laws that the author has created for simplifying our life, and the things we may work on, or design.

View all The Laws of Simplicity Book Summaries

Ready for the next level?

Read Like a Pro

stash-superman-illustration

Explore the World’s

Best Ideas

200,000+ ideas on pretty much any topic. Created by the smartest people around & well-organized so you can explore at will.

An Idea for Everything

Explore the biggest library of insights. And we've infused it with powerful filtering tools so you can easily find what you need.

Knowledge Library

Powerful Saving & Organizational Tools

Save ideas for later reading, for personalized stashes, or for remembering it later.

# Personal Growth

Take Your Ideas

Anywhere

Organize your ideas & listen on the go. And with Pro, there are no limits.

Listen on the go

Just press play and we take care of the words.

Never worry about spotty connections

No Internet access? No problem. Within the mobile app, all your ideas are available, even when offline.

Get Organized with Stashes

Ideas for your next work project? Quotes that inspire you? Put them in the right place so you never lose them.

Join

2 Million Stashers

4.8

5,740 Reviews

App Store

4.7

72,690 Reviews

Google Play

Ashley Anthony

This app is LOADED with RELEVANT, HELPFUL, AND EDUCATIONAL material. It is creatively intellectual, yet minimal enough to not overstimulate and create a learning block. I am exceptionally impressed with this app!

samz905

Don’t look further if you love learning new things. A refreshing concept that provides quick ideas for busy thought leaders.

Sean Green

Great interesting short snippets of informative articles. Highly recommended to anyone who loves information and lacks patience.

Shankul Varada

Best app ever! You heard it right. This app has helped me get back on my quest to get things done while equipping myself with knowledge everyday.

Ghazala Begum

Even five minutes a day will improve your thinking. I've come across new ideas and learnt to improve existing ways to become more motivated, confident and happier.

Giovanna Scalzone

Brilliant. It feels fresh and encouraging. So many interesting pieces of information that are just enough to absorb and apply. So happy I found this.

Laetitia Berton

I have only been using it for a few days now, but I have found answers to questions I had never consciously formulated, or to problems I face everyday at work or at home. I wish I had found this earlier, highly recommended!

Jamyson Haug

Great for quick bits of information and interesting ideas around whatever topics you are interested in. Visually, it looks great as well.

Read & Learn

20x Faster

without
deepstash

with
deepstash

with

deepstash

Access to 200,000+ ideas

Access to the mobile app

Unlimited idea saving & library

Unlimited history

Unlimited listening to ideas

Downloading & offline access

Personalized recommendations

FAQ

Claim Your Limited Offer

Get Deepstash Pro

Supercharge your mind with one idea per day

Enter your email and spend 1 minute every day to learn something new.

Email

I agree to receive email updates