A New Cognitive Perspective on Simplicity in System and Product Design

Abstract

What is simple? How can we make simple things? Simplicity seems easy to grasp but is surprisingly difficult to explain. “We know it when we see it”, but we don’t know how to describe it. This essay reflects on a number of observations about simplicity and complexity. It invites a perspective change towards a dynamical systems view of simplicity, explores how we can explain what makes things simple, and how we can utilize this knowledge as makers, creators, product and system designers to craft simple things.