As Simple As Possible
Why less is more...stable...functional...compatible...
By Terry Sullivan
One of the key lessons I've learned in 15 years of designing production software systems and user interfaces is this: Simple is good; simpler is often better. Those of us who praise the virtues of simplicity certainly find ourselves in good company; one of Albert Einstein's more memorable quotes is, "Things should be made as simple as possible -- but no simpler."
Inevitably, when the topic turns to simplicity in Web design, some will dismiss
the discussion as Luddite nonsense. Yet the most vocal advocates of simpler
designs are often seasoned systems professionals, who've learned (usually
the hard way) that simplicity is a key element in ensuring the stability and
longevity of any software product (including Web pages). Indeed, many of the
things that work well in simpler software systems are also applicable to Web
pages and site designs, for these reasons:
More Stable
One way to think of the functionality of any software system (including Web
designs) is to examine it for "points of failure." Basically, anything that
can break is a potential point of failure. A key element in building stable,
robust systems is to minimize those points of failure. One of the great challenges
of Web design is that, for each and every page we create, client-side incompatibilities
represent additional points of failure for our work -- points of failure that
we do not and cannot control.
