Steve Jobs and the Message of Simplicity

Posted on | October 17, 2011 | No Comments

Credit: Jonathan Mak Long

Whether you are a technology lover or not, whether you are a PC or a Mac, and whether you live under a rock or not, you probably have a keen awareness of who Steve Jobs was and what exactly he left behind.  Even the concept of “Windows” was originally an Apple invention.  But the key to Steve Jobs’ influence and success in Apple, was that he understood KISS.  Not the rock band, though he may have understood them, I don’t know.  But ‘keep it simple stupid’.  Though Jobs would probably never call anyone stupid.  In fact, he cared and honored the end user of his products.  He said ‘you’re worth it.’  You’re worth figuring out how we can do this the simplest way to make your life easier, how things can be more comfortable, and how we can make your experience most pleasant…to the eye, to the touch, to the senses.  And if a hundred thousand people would say ‘eh, good enough, let them figure it out’ – he would say ‘no, in fact, let’s make it even easier, more comfortable and more attractive.’  Simple simple simple.  Or simply: simple.

Why is our world so complicated?  Because of technology?  Because our Pandora’s box is so much more open than past generations?  We know too much?  Knowledge is power and knowledge is good, but sanity and balance are even better.  Recently a friend complained about how when he watches TV now with any cable service, there are so many channels and options, many of them even offering similar content, that it has become overwhelming, confusing, and ultimately undesirable and stressful to watch TV.  What if you settled on a particular show or movie, and one of your favorite shows or movies was playing on another channel?  More options have made things difficult.  Every little channel is now worth less.  Look at Netflix who recently nixed their idea to start a separate website just for DVD rental.  Until they realized, oops, we’re just making everyone’s life more difficult.  The reason they were successful to begin with is they were making life easier.  So they should strive to keep going that direction.  It seemed with Jobs’ influence, Apple products just got easier; there were less of them, and each product was improving in quality, design, and simplicity.  Should you be designing a website, your business card, your living space or your office, doing a project, or building a business, remember three things from Jobs’ legacy that will improve your life: keep it as 1) simple, 2) pleasant & attractive, and 3) comfortable… as possible for everyone.

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