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Simple and Usable Web, Mobile, and Interaction Design
In a complex world, products that are easy to use win favor with consumers. This is the first book on the topic of simplicity aimed specifically at interaction designers. It shows how to drill down and simplify user experiences when designing digital tools and applications. It begins by explaining why simplicity is attractive, explores the laws of simplicity, and presents proven strategies for achieving simplicity. Remove, hide, organize and displace become guidelines for designers, who learn simplicity by seeing before and after examples and case studies where the results speak for themselves.
196 pages, Paperback
First published September 16, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
December 11, 2011
It's a very one-sided book. Sure, it offers a ton of nice advice on how to make things simpler, but NOT everything needs to be simpler. Some of the examples were so forced/silly that it really made me question the value of this text. Bashing Adobe Photoshop for not being accessible to people wanting to edit family photos? Guess what, it was made for professionals. There is other photo-retouching software on the market made specifically for home use. Don't dumb down things that are made for power users! On one hand the author wants the users to feel in control of the interface, and on the other he hides and downright removes options used by advanced users. If all products followed his advice, the world would turn into stupidity fest where a 5-year-old could go by with minimal effort.
One other thing that the author ignores that irritated me are conventions. If a program followed a similar interface design for several years (MS Office), it's no wonder that people get lost in it. Ignoring established conventions and history of the program, especially when it's an application that has a big following and a good chunk of its user base are people who've had it for years, is not a good thing.
And then there was a quite silly example with Amazon wishlists. The solution proposed by the author skips one step of wishlisting but leads to massive mess in it.
Summing up, it's a good book if you're designing for the very casual audience, with no expectations, but please don't apply these rules to everything.
One other thing that the author ignores that irritated me are conventions. If a program followed a similar interface design for several years (MS Office), it's no wonder that people get lost in it. Ignoring established conventions and history of the program, especially when it's an application that has a big following and a good chunk of its user base are people who've had it for years, is not a good thing.
And then there was a quite silly example with Amazon wishlists. The solution proposed by the author skips one step of wishlisting but leads to massive mess in it.
Summing up, it's a good book if you're designing for the very casual audience, with no expectations, but please don't apply these rules to everything.
August 6, 2011
Fantastic book that made me re-think all the projects I'm working on. I love that Colborne practices what he preaches: his book is simple to read and presents useful processes in addition to theories. Anyone making user interfaces for websites, apps or even appliances should read this to make their product great instead of merely good.
December 10, 2015
Nice book - very simple and indeed usable. It makes sense, in contrast to many other much thicker books on UX. Actually it's tiny size is also big plus - it can be read in one evening. Unless you hope to become UX-pro by finding magical recipe in a book - in that case you should looks somewhere else, "UX in 21 day" or something like that.
August 9, 2017
Great read for everyone in UI design. Light read with bite-sized advice and actionable takeaways. A lot of it may seem obvious, especially for designers with some experience, but I believe everyone will learn a thing or two, or at least be reminded of some important principles.
November 13, 2019
A decent collection of high-level design and usability concepts. It felt a bit too generic for me and I'm not sure how it will directly impact any work I do.
January 19, 2020
Simple and accessible book on usability. If you're just getting into this field/topic, you're more likely to enjoy this book and find it inspiring. If you already know things or have experience, this may not be your book... or you might find it to be a good reminder. I liked it at the time and took notes from it but since then have read other books that surpass it in depth.
November 27, 2019
This book takes you to a new world of design. Relates all the design principles with the real scenario. The way importance of simplicity in design and usability for the user explained in this book never makes feel bore of it and give the best understanding of UI/UX designing.
December 31, 2019
I personally found this super helpful as a newbie UI/UX designer. I think it might also be helpful to someone more experienced to be reminded that the user is most important and what the user wants is usually not what the designer thinks.
February 4, 2020
Great for people starting off in this field but falls short of expectations if you wish to dig deeper. Short and easy read with relevant examples. Where it could have been more interesting is by showing examples of interaction design in more diverse scenarios with newer challenges.
March 20, 2020
It was a delightful read and I enjoyed most of the book. Using images along with a summary of the preceding lesson or topic was genius. The book functions mostly like a cookbook, giving you tips on what to do if you are in need of ideas on how to build with simplicity in mind.
June 25, 2020
This is basically my bible for how to build products.
If you've been doing product work for a while, a lot of the ideas and concepts in here may be things you already know (or at least do subconsciously!) but you'll probably still wind up learning something new.
If you've been doing product work for a while, a lot of the ideas and concepts in here may be things you already know (or at least do subconsciously!) but you'll probably still wind up learning something new.
February 14, 2018
A brief book on the topic of simplicity. However, if you also have "The Laws of Simplicity: Design, Technology, Business, Life" by J. Maeda on your list, skip this one without hesitation.
May 27, 2018
Good short book. Important and interesting ideas with good examples.
February 4, 2023
Lives by its own principles and advocates, in an uncomplicated way, for a rational approach to design. Its brief case studies are cogent, useful, and quotable.
March 17, 2024
Remove, organise, hide, displace.
March 17, 2025
Written in "one picture, one text page" per topic format. Great read for everyone whose job is always to add features, never to remove any.
December 25, 2016
Before design,set a vision first, then tell your story.
Two ways to describle what's core.
>The quick and dirty way is to write down a one-line description, ask yourself"what is this for?" when you design something very small.
>The better and longer way is to describle the experience I want the users to have,when you design someting big.
Three types of user:Experts,Willing adopters,Mainstreamers.
Experience that feel simple are designed for the mainstreamers.
Design has to satisfy emotional needs.Key emotional need is for users to feel that they're in control.
A good user story is brief, concrete, credible, and use relevant details.
Three levels of vision
>A believable world(the "where" and "when" of our story)
>Credible charactors(the"who" and"why")
>A coherent plot(the "what" and "how")
Reviw your story and ask: what things have the most important on your user's behavir?
Don't rush into design,understanding what's core takes time.
�
*Four strategies for simplicity:
*>Remove-get rid of all the unnecessary buttons until the device is stripped back its essentials.
It doesn't mean removing features that is difficult to build.
� Cutting features can be bloody process, focus on what's core.
� ​Kill lame features,avoid speculating about what users might or might not to.
*Prioritizing features' principles:
� �>Identify the users' goals and set them in order of priority.
� �>Focus on solutions that completely meet users' high-priority goals.Only move on the lower-priority
� �>Identify things that are common sources of anxiety or stress and prioritize features that alleviate that stress effortlessly.
� �>Identify the "good enough" controls that satisfy mainstream users' needs and the "precision" controls for experts.
� �*limit visual clutter:
� �>Use white space or subtle background tints to divide up the page rather than lines.
� �>Avoid thick dark lines where fine,light lines will do.
� �>Limit the levels of information.Limit the number , size, and weghts of fronts.
� �>Limit the variation in sizes of elements.
� �>Limit the shapes of elements.
*>Organize-arrange the buttons into groups that make more sence. �
� ​Chunking.Grids.
� ​Size and location:
� �>Make important things big ,even if that means making them out of scale.
� �>Less important items should be smaller.
� �>Put similar things close together.
*>Hide-hide all but the most important buttons behind a hatch so they don't distract users.
� �>Hide one-time setting and options
� �>Hide precision controls, but the expert users choose to keep them revealed.
� �>Don't force or expert mainstreamers to customize,but offer this option for experts.
� �>Hide elegantly, that is, hide completely and reveal just in time.
*>Displace-create a very simple remote control with a few basic features and control the rest via a menu on the TV screen, displacing the complexity from the remote control to the TV.
It's very useful for UX novice.
Two ways to describle what's core.
>The quick and dirty way is to write down a one-line description, ask yourself"what is this for?" when you design something very small.
>The better and longer way is to describle the experience I want the users to have,when you design someting big.
Three types of user:Experts,Willing adopters,Mainstreamers.
Experience that feel simple are designed for the mainstreamers.
Design has to satisfy emotional needs.Key emotional need is for users to feel that they're in control.
A good user story is brief, concrete, credible, and use relevant details.
Three levels of vision
>A believable world(the "where" and "when" of our story)
>Credible charactors(the"who" and"why")
>A coherent plot(the "what" and "how")
Reviw your story and ask: what things have the most important on your user's behavir?
Don't rush into design,understanding what's core takes time.
�
*Four strategies for simplicity:
*>Remove-get rid of all the unnecessary buttons until the device is stripped back its essentials.
It doesn't mean removing features that is difficult to build.
� Cutting features can be bloody process, focus on what's core.
� ​Kill lame features,avoid speculating about what users might or might not to.
*Prioritizing features' principles:
� �>Identify the users' goals and set them in order of priority.
� �>Focus on solutions that completely meet users' high-priority goals.Only move on the lower-priority
� �>Identify things that are common sources of anxiety or stress and prioritize features that alleviate that stress effortlessly.
� �>Identify the "good enough" controls that satisfy mainstream users' needs and the "precision" controls for experts.
� �*limit visual clutter:
� �>Use white space or subtle background tints to divide up the page rather than lines.
� �>Avoid thick dark lines where fine,light lines will do.
� �>Limit the levels of information.Limit the number , size, and weghts of fronts.
� �>Limit the variation in sizes of elements.
� �>Limit the shapes of elements.
*>Organize-arrange the buttons into groups that make more sence. �
� ​Chunking.Grids.
� ​Size and location:
� �>Make important things big ,even if that means making them out of scale.
� �>Less important items should be smaller.
� �>Put similar things close together.
*>Hide-hide all but the most important buttons behind a hatch so they don't distract users.
� �>Hide one-time setting and options
� �>Hide precision controls, but the expert users choose to keep them revealed.
� �>Don't force or expert mainstreamers to customize,but offer this option for experts.
� �>Hide elegantly, that is, hide completely and reveal just in time.
*>Displace-create a very simple remote control with a few basic features and control the rest via a menu on the TV screen, displacing the complexity from the remote control to the TV.
It's very useful for UX novice.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
December 4, 2014Thesis: Simplicity and Usability are two key goals of modern design.
Summary: Begins by stating that simplicity is necessary for mainstream market (as opposed to expert or proficient users) but does not necessarily mean less or easy to implement (unicycle illustration). The practice of making something simple usually involves Removal, Sorting, Hiding or Reduction. (remote control example). When designing something simple and usable, it is important to follow stories and reduce purpose statements to the essentials (Flip example).
Relevant Questions;
1. How can I bring these principles into my own life? understand WHO client is in order to design for them, visualize and create stories of HOW product is actually used by mainstream, dont necessarily listen to input or requests. Fill needs first.
2. Identify some beautifully designed, simple products Knife/piano illustration was excellent
3. Identify poorly designed or overly complex products and how they can be improved (by which method?)
Notes:
Author works in design, possibly web development and lost personal anecdotes are centered around the auto industry.
Summary: Begins by stating that simplicity is necessary for mainstream market (as opposed to expert or proficient users) but does not necessarily mean less or easy to implement (unicycle illustration). The practice of making something simple usually involves Removal, Sorting, Hiding or Reduction. (remote control example). When designing something simple and usable, it is important to follow stories and reduce purpose statements to the essentials (Flip example).
Relevant Questions;
1. How can I bring these principles into my own life? understand WHO client is in order to design for them, visualize and create stories of HOW product is actually used by mainstream, dont necessarily listen to input or requests. Fill needs first.
2. Identify some beautifully designed, simple products Knife/piano illustration was excellent
3. Identify poorly designed or overly complex products and how they can be improved (by which method?)
Notes:
Author works in design, possibly web development and lost personal anecdotes are centered around the auto industry.
June 6, 2011
Pretty good general read on usability and user experience, that draws on the personal experience of a thought leader in the field. I especially enjoyed the chapters dealing with techniques for 'hiding complexity'. His use of the "Flip" camera as a usability high water mark is unfortunate, as it was just discontinued and kind of dates the book. It also illustrates how a great tech product may only have a 3-4 year life cycle in today world of constant technological churn.
Maybe every other page didn't have to be stock photography, tho.
One criticism of the book is the lack of bibliography. I would have loved to have recommendations for further reading.
Maybe every other page didn't have to be stock photography, tho.
One criticism of the book is the lack of bibliography. I would have loved to have recommendations for further reading.
February 18, 2013
Dobra książka na start z projektowaniem interfejsów, czyta się łatwo i szybko, a konkretne przykłady rozwiązań zapadają w pamieć. Autor przedstawia i omawia cztery sposoby uzyskania prostoty: usuwanie, organizacja, ukrywanie i przenoszenie.
Co ciekawe, każde zagadnienie zostało poruszone dokładnie na jednej stronie, a obok niego znalazła się fotografia lub przykład interfejsu je ilustrujący. Dzięki temu książka nadaje się nie tylko do przeczytania od deski do deski, ale równie dobrze można po nią sięgać szukając inspiracji, czy wyrywkowo przeglądając zagadnienia. Z pewnością będę do niej często zaglądać.
Co ciekawe, każde zagadnienie zostało poruszone dokładnie na jednej stronie, a obok niego znalazła się fotografia lub przykład interfejsu je ilustrujący. Dzięki temu książka nadaje się nie tylko do przeczytania od deski do deski, ale równie dobrze można po nią sięgać szukając inspiracji, czy wyrywkowo przeglądając zagadnienia. Z pewnością będę do niej często zaglądać.
May 27, 2013
With an uninspiring, slightly patronizing opening gambit and a dull magazine style format (every other picture is a stock photo), Simple and Usable almost had me giving up. It's a good thing I held on, though, because once it gets going, it provides a concrete, systematic list of methods for simplifying user interfaces.
If you can stand the corporate, stock photo cheesiness, and you want get beyond minimalist slogans like 'less is more', then give this a shot.
If you can stand the corporate, stock photo cheesiness, and you want get beyond minimalist slogans like 'less is more', then give this a shot.
March 29, 2013
Remove what you don't need, organize what you do, hide what you can. Displace.
When you get the balance of tasks right, letting users focus on choosing and directing, and having the computer focus on remembering and calculating, you'll create experiences that are simple and surprising because of the creativity users can bring to them.
When you get the balance of tasks right, letting users focus on choosing and directing, and having the computer focus on remembering and calculating, you'll create experiences that are simple and surprising because of the creativity users can bring to them.
July 24, 2014
Having been in the Web Design Game for over a dozen years now, this definitely hit home. If you are like me and are often irritated at how developers think like "power users" instead of like "normal people", then this will resonate with you. If you don't think that way, then you should; this book will help explain why.
February 25, 2015
Great Book for UX Beginners. Concepts Explained very nicely and learned a lot of things.
Presents a nice way on how you should approach UX for simplicity rather than usability. Highly recommended for Startup owners and anyone looking to invest into web or mobile solutions or even every day things that we use
Presents a nice way on how you should approach UX for simplicity rather than usability. Highly recommended for Startup owners and anyone looking to invest into web or mobile solutions or even every day things that we use
July 30, 2014
Bitesize content, very accesible but no deeper layers of information. A great summary of strategies for getting simplicity into services, products or digital experiences, but to shallow to it promote to a must read.
January 5, 2015
This book fundamentally changed how I think about design and the world in general. We live in a complicated world, but it doesn't really have to be this way. Giles Colborne uses very simple language and examples to get to the point. This book is short and concise.
January 16, 2011
Gives a thought through process to think about simplifying our world
March 1, 2011
great book if you're designing anything. feels a little bit like a textbook with big pictures and factoids. a lot of practical advice.
Currently reading
June 21, 2011This little book is only 184 pages, which turn out to be only about 90 pages of text. So pretty quick to go through (though worth its price?)
February 8, 2012
Very clever book, the epitome of simple and usable. Does not necessarily provide practical guidance, but it's very thought-provoking and inspirational.
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