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The Laws of Simplicity (Simplicity: Design, Technology, Business, Life) Hardcover – August 21, 2006
John Maeda (Author) Find all the books, read about the author, and more. See search results for this author |
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Ten laws of simplicity for business, technology, and design that teach us how to need less but get more.
Finally, we are learning that simplicity equals sanity. We're rebelling against technology that's too complicated, DVD players with too many menus, and software accompanied by 75-megabyte "read me" manuals. The iPod's clean gadgetry has made simplicity hip. But sometimes we find ourselves caught up in the simplicity paradox: we want something that's simple and easy to use, but also does all the complex things we might ever want it to do. In The Laws of Simplicity, John Maeda offers ten laws for balancing simplicity and complexity in business, technology, and design―guidelines for needing less and actually getting more.
Maeda―a professor in MIT's Media Lab and a world-renowned graphic designer―explores the question of how we can redefine the notion of "improved" so that it doesn't always mean something more, something added on.
Maeda's first law of simplicity is "Reduce." It's not necessarily beneficial to add technology features just because we can. And the features that we do have must be organized (Law 2) in a sensible hierarchy so users aren't distracted by features and functions they don't need. But simplicity is not less just for the sake of less. Skip ahead to Law 9: "Failure: Accept the fact that some things can never be made simple." Maeda's concise guide to simplicity in the digital age shows us how this idea can be a cornerstone of organizations and their products―how it can drive both business and technology. We can learn to simplify without sacrificing comfort and meaning, and we can achieve the balance described in Law 10. This law, which Maeda calls "The One," tells us: "Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious, and adding the meaningful."
- Print length128 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherThe MIT Press
- Publication dateAugust 21, 2006
- Dimensions5.38 x 0.56 x 8 inches
- ISBN-100262134721
- ISBN-13978-0262134729
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
Abstract recommends this book particularly to marketing people, product designers and technical writers.
―GetAbstractFINALLY, a book about simplicity that is not too academic to read.... At the book's heart is the Shinto belief in animism, the spirit in all objects. Nicholas Negroponte, one of Maeda's mentors, once told him to become a lightbulb, not a laser beam. This he has done; all this and more.
―Susan Salter Reynolds, The LA TimesJohn Maeda's new book, The Laws of Simplicity, is simply terrific. It's exactly 100 pages, the illustrations are brilliant and the 10 Laws of Simplicity (plus Three Keys) are a canon to design one's entire life, much less specific products, services or business models. The subtitle is: Design, Technology, Business, Life.
―Bruce Nussbaum, BusinessWeek's blog "NussbaumOnDesign"Keep it simple, Stupid' is an old piece of advice, so much so that it's often abbreviated as the 'KISS principle.' But it's advice that's often ignored, and MIT Professor John Maeda aims to change that.... Designers and marketers will find Maeda's book both interesting and useful....
―New York PostMaeda's Laws and Keys have an obvious practical application in everyday running of a busy life (and desktop); they also have the potential to translate into a productive methodology for any craft or design practice.... A very humble, enlightened and caring human, John's written a little bible.
―Liz Farrelly, Crafts MagazineMaeda's upbeat explanations usefully break down the power of less-fewer features, fewer buttons and fewer distractions-while providing practical strategies for harnessing that power.... Emphasizing the delicate balance-work involved in simplifying the complex, Maeda admits the process isn't easy, and that his ten laws don't necessarily provide all the answers-in numerous places, he directs readers to the web site where his theories continue to develop. Despite that, this slim book feels complete in itself; not only will it stimulate ideas, it will keep readers thumbing back for a second and third look at Maeda's deceptively simple advice.
―Publishers WeeklyTechnology and life seem to be getting more complicated, yet two great success stories, Google and the iPod, both provide the antidote of simplicity. In The Laws of Simplicity, John Maeda uses humble prose to provide an accessible guide, business and life, observing the principle: 'Simplicity equals sanity.'
―David Smith, The ObserverReview
I planned to skim/sample John Maeda's book, then decide to endorse it―or not. I quickly found myself mesmerized―and thence the only issue was deciding what were the strongest words I could muster in support of The Laws of Simplicity. The book is important; and Maeda has made an absurdly complex subject―simplicity―approachable and usable. Bravo! I hope the people who design the products I'll acquire in the next ten years take this book to heart.
―Tom PetersAbout the Author
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Product details
- Publisher : The MIT Press; Later prt. edition (August 21, 2006)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 128 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0262134721
- ISBN-13 : 978-0262134729
- Item Weight : 10.4 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.38 x 0.56 x 8 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #470,880 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #105 in Industrial Product Design
- #328 in Industrial & Product Design
- #1,035 in Mechanical Engineering (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

American technologist and product experience leader that bridges business, engineering, design via working inclusively.
MIT-trained computer scientist, both risk manager (MBA effect) and risk taker (learner effect), and seasoned for-profit/non-profit growth executive. Author of five books including the new How To Speak Machine and the bestselling Laws of Simplicity. Recently EVP/CXO of IT consultancy Publicis Sapient serving digital transformation needs globally across industries plus FED/SLED with the LEAD (Light, Ethical, Accessible, Dataful) system. Board of Directors at Sonos and the Smithsonian Design Museum, former President/CEO of Rhode Island School of Design and Partner at Kleiner Perkins venture capital in Silicon Valley. During his early career, Dr. Maeda was an MIT research professor in computational design represented in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art and recipient of the White House’s National Design Award. He has appeared as a speaker all over the world, from Davos to Beijing to São Paulo to New York, and his talks for TED have received millions of views.
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This was a mess that was topped with a cherry of the author basically calling out his terrible approach at the very end.
I feel motivated to write my own book on simplicity in UX design because apparently the bar is so incredibly low.
What else do you need to know about the Great Author?
Oh, what was the title of the book again? Oh yes, simplicity. The title of the chapters is just about the only interesting content there is in the book about the subject. All the rest of the books is trite and superficial and unwarranted self-agrandisment by an insecure author. Even his further reading list, shows how superficial the author is.
The only ray of sunshine here is that I was able to return it for a full refund.
Nevertheless, the impostor has succeeded in robbing me of precious time.
I highly recommend reviewing the laws at John Maeda's site: [...] and consider doing your own meditations. Read the book only if you're interested in viewing the cogs turning in the mind of Maeda without them producing the condensed sweetness you might expect in such a compact tome.
(The hardcover book itself is nicely designed, printed and bound for those of you interested in good quality book and a favorable price.)
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