Robert | 1.07.2006 @ 8:10 AM
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Last nght, while reading Designing Visual Interfaces (Mullet, Sano), I came across one of the most beautiful statements in any software-related book I've read. It's this:

"Reduction through successive refinement is the only path to simplicity."

Well said. The sentence itself is clear, concise, and vigorous writing, which makes it all that much more effective, but what's most important is that this single sentence captures the very essence of what interaction design, and 33Inc, is all about.

Software design should always be about "designing the obvious", which means designing software that, used in context, is so simple and intuitive that users attibute their ability to use it effectively as sheer common sense (which, as we all know, isn't that common). Designing the obvious means understanding your audience on a personal level, understanding the context in which they use your software, the goals they have and challenges they face, as well as what's important and what's annoying, and designing a solution that genuinely helps them achieve their personal and practical goals. This can only be accomplished through research, iteration, and smart design. And Mullet and Sano's statement above provides ultimate clarity when considering how to design great software.

Each word in the sentence speaks volumes. The word "reduction" tells us we need to reduce the scope of our software and strip it down to what's really needed, helping to avoid clutter and keep things visually simple, resulting in less bloated software. The words "successive refinement" tell us to iterate. Don't stop at a single design and call it a day. Keep iterating the design, re-evaluating at every step, challenging yourself to make it cleaner, simpler, and more elegant (and thusly, more purposeful). And the word "simplicity" clearly states the principle goal of software design.

This is how you make great software. This is the tao of software design.