Creating simple IT solutions is challenging, but that doesn’t mean your product has to be difficult to use. Too often, we are confronted with seemingly simple tasks like creating a document, ordering a ticket, booking a hotel, or completing a mandatory government form online. Why do these simple tasks turn out to be a nightmare and time sink?
So too often I wonder about these simple tasks: Why is the software so complex? Why am I, as end-user, forced to deal with pointless complexity?
When I use commercial or FOSS software I don’t want:
- Install an unnecessary mobile app. I like to do simple things just with a simple web browser.
- Provide personal details that are irrelevant. Asking for personal information should and is not needed when I just want to order a simple ticket for an event. Forcing me to accept your privacy policy when I just want to book a train ticket should never ever be needed. Just not misuse and sell my personal data.
- Be restricted in my choice of browser, operating system, or email program. Yes, there are many people around that just just plain text email. This avoids a lot of html tracking and unnecessary downloads of images for email layout that never works with a simple email program.
- Be confronted with many options that I do not need to perform a task as quick as possible.
Security and privacy are much harder to implement correctly in complex software. Simpler software inherently reduces security risks.
So if you develop some kind of web application on the internet, the less data is transferred over the internet the simpler the application should become. This also reduces energy usage which has a lot of advantages if we all are a bit more aware of this.
Great features are difficult to build but should be effortless to use—not the other way around.
Preventing and avoiding complexity in software products is not easy. To help you with this difficult task, make use of a good design and use simple good tools. The Architecture Playbook is a collection of tools that bring real value when creating simple products. Additionally, check out the tips and tools in the Simplify IT Playbook.
There’s no excuse for not trying to eliminate complexity!