[IxDA Discuss] John Maeda's Laws of Simplicity

[Bruce Esrig]

We also need a model of how to apply simplicity rules to design.

My favorite model:
  - simple underneath
  - necessary complexity in a mediation layer
  - simple on top

For example, I'd like the world to put IDs on everything for disambiguation.
That would go on the "underneath" layer.

Then there's all this hubbub about how hard it is to solicit IDs from 
users, or assign IDs, or track IDs.
That goes on the mediation layer.

Then there's the user effect: the environment can offer unambiguous choices 
when those are available, or ask for disambiguation when necessary. (Can do 
that without IDs!) And the user can pick an item and be confident of 
getting it back the next time. (Can do that without IDs sometimes.) And 
different parts of the environment can present the same item without any 
other mediation. (Can't do that without IDs.)

Seems to me as though the user effect is that ambiguity is under control, 
which is simpler than if it isn't. So in my perception, IDs underneath 
yield simplicity on top, near the user.

Bruce Esrig

At 03:44 PM 9/2/2006, Dave (Heller) Malouf wrote:
>[Please voluntarily trim replies to include only relevant quoted material.]
>
>http://weblogs.media.mit.edu/SIMPLICITY/
>book blog at http://lawsofsimplicity.com/
>Here are the Laws: http://lawsofsimplicity.com/?cat=5&order=ASC
>...
>Learn
>...
>
>What do people think?
>
>-- dave
>
>David (Heller) Malouf