December 11, 2000 New Thinking:
In praise of simplicity
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December 11, 2000
In praise of simplicity
By Gerry McGovern
We live in a world where change and complexity are forced on us at every turn. The world is hitting back. People are yearning for simplicity. People are tired of technology that constantly overcomplicates things, that is poorly designed and that is full of bugs.
A classic example is WAP phones. The ads promise ultimate freedom, but the reality is that they are excruciatingly difficult to use, and that they deliver precious little benefit. The result is that consumers are becoming more conservative than ever in what they buy and how they use technology. The average person, for example, uses no more than 10 percent of the features in common software, such as Microsoft Word.
A recent study by FCB Worldwide found that European buyers are becoming increasingly more cautious. "There is a massive amount of inertia," according to an FCB director. "People have a lot of education about these products, but the more they know, the less they are tempted to buy something that will be upgraded next week." The study also found that consumers are unhappy with the fact that they were being offered feature-overloaded products, but for all these features, the products often don’t do the basic things that the consumer wants them to do.
This is no accident. The technology industry is a speed addict. The only thing that matters for many companies is to get the product to market before the competition, regardless of whether it works or not. “Ship, then test," is the motto of the software industry, according to Silicon Valley guru, Guy Kawasaki. He received a standing ovation from over 1,000 entrepreneurs when he made the statement: “Don't worry, be crappy.”
The consumer is not happy. A July study by PC World found that very few consumers are satisfied with the computers they buy. It found that approximately 22 percent of computers break down every year, compared to 9 percent of video recorders, 8 percent of refrigerators and 7 percent of big-screen TVs. Another study by the Gartner Group found that 25 percent of laptops cause problems.
The information worker is not happy. A report by the Meta Group found that even though technology workers are working longer hours than ever, their productivity is diminishing. The reasons given are that the projects have become more complex, and because people are changing jobs more often, they are taking longer to acquire the appropriate skills and experience. “Hours worked were far longer, but productivity was far down," according to Howard Rubin, a leading researcher on software labor patterns.
Complexity is the curse of the digital age. It is a type of intellectual pollution that smothers clear thought. Complexity is not a sign of intelligence, but rather a sign of a hyperactive mind gouging on more. True genius and great design is about turning something complex into a product that is simple to use and delivers a real benefit to the consumer.
If the technology industry does not stop its love affair with rapid change and complexity, then it will alienate a whole marketplace of consumers. Never before has the KISS motto been more true – Keep It Simple, Stupid.
Gerry McGovern
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Complexity is the curse of the digital age. It is a type of intellectual pollution that smothers clear thought.
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