On simplicity
Audience: this article is aimed at UX practitioners (and related) wanting to learn more about wider behavioural and system-thinking perspectives of simplicity. It is a fairly technical read.
Keep it simple.
But what does this really mean? Beyond traditional simplification efforts in user experience & service design, what are some of the complex behavioural and systems thinking approaches that we should be examining?
Simplicity. It’s simple right? just remove some visual clutter, whack some white space into your app and reduce the amount of clicks or ergonomic “actions” that people have to make when interacting with your product or service. But has simplicity as a principle really ever evolved? Let’s find out.
I’m from the “progressive” era, the one where people hotly debated and leveraged progressive disclosure and reduction, both well established practices for delivering or showing “stuff” to people and arguably, early product personalisation in experience design. You don’t have to google far to find the mass of articles on gestalt psychology, basic ergonomic research and simplified versions of applied decision making to get an idea of how to apply the notion of simplicity at UI/product level.
But have we ever really moved beyond cognitive or ergonomic based views of simplicity and progressed towards a behavioural & systems thinking view of the complexity of simplicity and the variables within that UX & related people have to play with? Have systems, environments and culture become overly complex for us to accurately shape and change behaviour through the medium of simplicity? Whilst that is a question that cannot be answered in this article, we can re-visit some fundamental areas of psychology and behavioural science to re-establish and re-frame simplicity in our experience design work.
To do this, let’s play how might we with some foundational ideas.
The following 5 areas are framed in ways that people might be trying to simplify at a systems level (e.g. much bigger picture than just our product) and how we as experience professionals can design products and services that might ethically enable or be part of this process.
1.How might we…consider cultural and social dynamics when designing for simplicity?
Do I understand culture, group dynamics & norms? Do I understand how cultures and individuals view basic things like materialism, capitalism and status? Do I understand the dynamics of culture shifts into perceived minimalism, sustainability and mindfulness? And if I do, how does my product or service respect and adapt to the complexities of these shifts? And how can I use this information to help people simplify their choices?
2.How might we…consider environmental influences when designing for simplicity?
Am I aware of the environment and stimuli that people are exposed to frequently or infrequently? Do I understand the behavioural dynamics at play from competing sources that are trying to do the same thing? (e.g. other products & services) Do I understand the sensory implications of my design and research choices and the the impact that has on groups or individuals?
3.How might we…support perceived levels of control in reducing complexity?
Do I understand the importance of an individuals autonomy and belief in their competence in relation to simplicity and the behaviours and choices people display and make based on their perceived levels of control? Does my product help or hinder control and autonomy through simplicity or enable choices that reduce complexity?
4.How might we…design for skill and inclusivity in improving simplicity?
Do I fully understand the skill level of the population I’m designing for? Do I understand their strengths and limitations and what this means at a systems level? Does my product or service accurately reflect the “right” amount of friction in providing support for those with varying skill level and inclusivity requirements?
5.How might we… design for emotional and mental health wellbeing?
Am I aware of how people react to and cope with stress and anxiety (including emotional regulation)? Does my product or service have the capacity to increase these negative traits, and if so how do I plan to reduce or simplify choices that could help improve emotional well-being? Do my design choices or research approaches ensure that simplicity and well-being can be strongly aligned with product and business goals?
Reflection 🤔
The essence of simplicity in design can often itself become oversimplified. Beyond mere visual decluttering and reducing clicks, simplicity should address nuanced psychological and systemic aspects. This involves understanding cultural dynamics, environmental influences, perceptions of control, skill levels, and emotional well-being as a basic foundation when designing with and for simplicity.
To think about from this 500 words:
Thinking in systems and context: Simplifying user experiences extends beyond superficial changes. Understanding psychological and systemic factors is essential for effective design.
Cultural and social dynamics: Recognising cultural shifts and trends informs adaptation strategies. Designing for simplicity requires aligning with evolving cultural norms.
Environmental influences: Awareness of environmental stimuli and competing influences guides design choices. Considering sensory implications ensures experiences resonate with diverse user groups.
Perceived control and autonomy: Supporting users' sense of control impacts simplification efforts. Design should empower autonomy and competence to influence user behaviour positively, beyond the product.
Skill and inclusive design: Designing inclusively considers diverse skill levels and requirements. Products & services should provide appropriate support while minimising complexity, if appropriate.
Emotional and mental well-being: Acknowledging emotional responses like stress and anxiety is crucial. Design choices should prioritise emotional well-being and simplify decision-making processes if this leads to positive outcomes
What are 500 words or less?
Short-form pieces around behavioural science, digital transformation, applied research, data-science, business and domain specific UX interests from the brain of Haydyn Phillips. Ideas are distilled, reduced and challenged in as few words as possible, therefore full concepts may not be articulated as comprehensively as some wish.
Often I’ll provide data supported by relevant literature. However, this may be erroneous, out of date or de-bunked, so please take the time to do your own investigations if you’re so inclined. I don’t write politically, culturally or organisationally divisive or critical narratives, I aim to educate, interrogate and provide perspectives to help people think critically about their career and behaviours in digital and beyond.
None of this is medical, legal or professional advice. Out of respect, this information is purely my opinion based on experience and does not necessarily represent the views of the company I work for or other institutions I am affiliated with.
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