Laws Simplicity

The simplest way to achieve simplicity is through thoughtful reduction. When in doubt, just remove. But be careful of what you remove.

TEN LAWS

1 REDUCE The simplest way to achieve simplicity is through thoughtful reduction.

2 ORGANIZE Organization makes a system of many appear fewer.

3 TIME Savings in time feel like simplicity.

4 LEARN Knowledge makes everything simpler.

5 DIFFERENCES Simplicity and complexity need each other.

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

7 EMOTION More emotions are better than less.

8 TRUST In simplicity we trust.

9 FAILURE Some things can never be made simple.

10 THE ONE Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious, and adding the meaningful.

THREE KEYS

1 AWAY More appears like less by simply moving it far, far away.

2 OPEN Openness simplifies complexity.

3 POWER Use less, gain more.

My blog led me to the fact that there aren’t sixteen laws, but rather the ten published in this volume. Like all man-made “laws” they do not exist in the absolute sense—to break them is no sin. However you may find them useful in your own search for simplicity (and sanity) in design, technology, business, and life.