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UI/UX Design: Simplicity
The one, deciding factor that separates good from great UI/UX design
Simplicity is key
When was the last time you used something complicated instead of something simple? My guess is that, outside of the times you were forced to, never.
Long division? Calculator. Do your taxes? Go to tax person.
Fix your car? Take to mechanic. Deal with lawsuit? Get a lawyer.
See what I mean? Simplicity is the abstraction of something complicated into a format that people can interface with and understand easily.
Your goal as a UI/UX designer is to create simple, easy to follow designs that get people from where they are to where they want to be quickly, efficiently, and effectively.
Simplicity helps you do just that.
The Law of Simplicity
The Law of Simplicity can be summarized easily:
“The more complex your design, product, or service, the less your users will want to use it, and the harder it is to communicate its value to them.”
and inversely:
“The simpler your design, product, or service, the more your users will want to use it, and the easier it is to communicate its value to them.”
Done.
The power of simplicity
Tell me something, what to products like Stripe, Uber, and Dawn dish-soap all have in common?
They do one thing, really well.
- Stripe is easy as pie to interface with and lets you take payments from basically any debit or credit provider.
- Uber lets you get a ride basically anytime, anywhere.
- Dawn dish-soap will wash the absolute hell out of your dishes.
This is not rocket science and is exemplified in essentially every great product…
