Simplicity and The Design Hierarchy of Needs
Yesterday I was revisitng a nice article by Smashing Magazine, titled Designing for a Hierarchy of Needs. Steven has done a great job applying Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs to design. I personally agree with this model but I won't be talking about this today.
What I wanted to talk about is how simplicity can help you cover some of these needs. Specifically it can help you achieve the needs of Functionality and Usability.
Functionality
Functionality is one of the core elements when using simplicity in our design process. Before anything else, our design needs to include the needed functions. Not only that but through a simplification process we can identify and decide what functionality is really needed. The result is a design that provides the most needed functions while doing away with any functions that would complicate the user experience.
Usability
Usability is another core element when using simplicity in our design process. What we are designing must be functional and very usable. Through multiple revisions the aim is to make it so usable that it feels natural, familiar and doesn't need any explanations. The user is key in this process and depending on who you are designing for you need to make certain decisions. Since knowledge can make something easier to use, the target audience is a determining factor in the simplification process.
Just covering these two needs can really help you design better and create a better user experience. Design is not just about how things look but how they work. Covering these basic needs is essential and simplicity can help you do that.
