Simple is SCARY :]

Simple isn’t easy, simple is hard.

Just reducing the amount of stuff doesn’t make something simple. You have to leave the right things in so the thing is useful.

Simple isn’t minimal, simple is the right amount.

… and the right amount depends on the needs of the person the thing is for.

Simple isn’t the most basic common denominator

For something to be appealing, it can’t just be a reduction to the most essential. It needs to contain as MUCH vibe as possible, as dictated by the brand.

Ah, there I said it, finally: brand.

Why is brand important for simplicity?

Brand is how you know what’s necessary, beyond pure function. It’s actually also how you decide which functions are most important, and how to present them.

The brand is how you get to know the person a thing is for. What are they like? What do they need? What are they used to?

If you try to design for everyone, you can’t make important decisions about what to include and how to present it.

Simple is scary

Simple is scary because if you don’t have a well defined brand, and don’t know this person well enough, you have no idea what should stay or go.

You won’t want to cut anything away because “it could be useful.” You’re thinking, erroneously, that your thing is for EVERYONE. It’s not. Even if it is, if you market a thing to everyone no one will look. Even solar panels, things everyone needs and wants, are marketed to a demographic.

So get your brand together, cut the fluff and make some impact.