Should Simplicity Be The Objective Of UX Design?

No one goes into UX design saying, “Let’s make this as complex as possible.” When it comes to design and usability, simplicity is beauty while complexity is corruption. But what constitutes simplicity? Just because something has less does that make it simpler or more desirable? Not necessarily.

For one thing, simplicity can be seen as less sophisticated. A great example is that of a blender. Most blenders have puree, chop, blend, and liquefy based on the desired outcome. What if you found a blender that only had one button? Your first question would probably be “So where are the rest?” In this case, simplicity is seen as a lack of functionality.

Simplicity can also be interpreted as easy to use. Hitting a ball with an object like a bat, a racquet or even a club seems simple enough but it takes years of practice to use them both effectively as any professional player will attest.

As UX designers, we often see simplicity as the goal and complexity as a four-letter word. Taking away all of the extraneous elements helps the user focus and succeed but should simplicity be the objective of UX design?

Simplicity is the main component of UX design that is necessary to help users achieve better results by dividing complex goals into simpler tasks. Creating a positive user experience through this process is the ultimate goal of UX not simplicity.

Have an opinion about simplicity and UX design? Please, tell us what you think!