Complexity Has Its Place…But Not There

Complexity has its place…

If you’re making Adobe Photoshop, complexity has its place. It’s supposed to be complicated, an interface to learn and return to many times. Something you can use for 20 years and still not know all its tricks.

If you’re making a helicopter, complexity has its place. You can’t sacrifice torque pedals because you think cyclic controls are sufficient. It all has its place, and so the complexity is essential.

But most of the time, complexity doesn’t belong.

Your website is supposed to be the easiest, clearest, simplest way to learn about your thing and how it fits into our lives. Complexity – fancy words, pop-up boxes and 400 pages – doesn’t make it easier to understand. It makes it complex.

Your product delivery process is supposed to feel easy, simple, elegant to those who chose to do business with you. Complexity – forms, ticketing systems and 14 contact addresses – don’t make it easier to do business with you. It makes it complex.

Complexity has its place… but not there, right there, where you’re thinking of making things a little more complicated.