The psychology of simple
For a concept that we all understand, ‘simple’ is deceivingly difficult to pin down. We may ‘know it when we see it’, but there’s more to what makes a product or website feel simple than just gut reaction. In the words of Steve Jobs: “Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.” If there’s so much power in creating things that are simple why do so many of us miss the mark? Why is simple so, well, complex? Like most things in life there’s more than just the surface appeal of simplicity. Here’s a look at how our brain comprehends new information, why some things feel more simple than others, and how you can use these ideas on your next project. Cognitive fluency and the preference for prototypes In his TED Talk Towards a science of simplicity , Harvard professor George Whitesides breaks ‘simple’ down into three characteristics: ...