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" Abstract recommends this book particularly to marketing people, product designers and technical writers." -- GetAbstract "FINALLY, a book about simplicity that is not too academic to read... At the book's heart is the Shinto belief in animism, the spirit in all objects. Nicholas Negroponte, one of Maeda's mentors, once told him to become a lightbulb, not a laser beam. This he has done; all this and more." -- Susan Salter Reynolds, The LA Times "John Maeda's new book, The Laws of Simplicity, is simply terrific. It's exactly 100 pages, the illustrations are brilliant and the 10 Laws of Simplicity (plus Three Keys) are a canon to design one's entire life, much less specific products, services or business models. The subtitle is: Design, Technology, Business, Life." -- Bruce Nussbaum, BusinessWeek's blog "NussbaumOnDesign" "Keep it simple, Stupid" is an old piece of advice, so much so that it's often abbreviated as the "KISS principle." But it's advice that's often ignored, and MIT Professor John Maeda aims to change that... Designers and marketers will find Maeda's book both interesting and useful..." -- New York Post "Maeda's Laws and Keys have an obvious practical application in everyday running of a busy life (and desktop); they also have the potential to translate into a productive methodology for any craft or design practice... A very humble, enlightened and caring human, John's written a little bible." -- Liz Farrelly, Crafts Magazine "Maeda's upbeat explanations usefully break down the power of less-fewer features, fewer buttons and fewer distractions-while providing practical strategies for harnessing that power... Emphasizing the delicate balance-work involved in simplifying the complex, Maeda admits the process isn't easy, and that his ten laws don't necessarily provide all the answers-in numerous places, he directs readers to the web site where his theories continue to develop. Despite that, this slim book feels complete in itself; not only will it stimulate ideas, it will keep readers thumbing back for a second and third look at Maeda's deceptively simple advice." -- Publishers Weekly "Technology and life seem to be getting more complicated, yet two great success stories, Google and the iPod, both provide the antidote of simplicity. In The Laws of Simplicity, John Maeda uses humble prose to provide an accessible guide, business and life, observing the principle: 'Simplicity equals sanity.'" -- David Smith, The Observer
Crafts Magazine, May 2007 (review by Liz Farrelly)
calling the book "a sublimely perfect tome, in the formal sense. Its dimensions, typography, paper stock, binding and eye-catching cover all demonstrate well-considered design decisions, guaranteeing appeal to the aesthetic sensibility in all creative people. Pick it up, because its lessons can and will help anyone making decisions and making things."
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
I watched the process whereby my daughters gleefully got their first email accounts. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
I watched the process whereby my daughters gleefully got their first email accounts. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Simple and philosophical,
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This review is from: The Laws of Simplicity (Simplicity: Design, Technology, Business, Life) (Hardcover)
This was a very informative read, especially for someone like me, who thinks no deeper than 'how cute' the ipod looks and 'how many tasks' my funky mobile phone can do! Yet, oblivious to the majority of us, a lot of thought and accuracy go into technology and technological gadgets. This book presents us with 10 laws to seeing, doing and thinking things simple. Most references are to devices we use everyday without too much thought. John Maeda writes very well and very clearly, he has the stamp of an MIT professor! Yet what I probably enjoyed the most was his sometimes abstract way of writing which made me feel like I was watching an abstract piece of art that gave some space to my personal interpretation. A good book I recomend to anyone who wants to explore something 'different'!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nice to read, conscise,
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This review is from: The Laws of Simplicity (Simplicity: Design, Technology, Business, Life) (Hardcover)
A nice to read book from John Maeda - as he mentioned on a short flight. Simplified approach to simplicity is nice and well organized thoughtful approach. Consciseness is a plus.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not so simple after all...,
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This review is from: The Laws of Simplicity (Simplicity: Design, Technology, Business, Life) (Hardcover)
John Maeda devoted 6 years of his research at MIT to the study of simplicity in technology and design, this book (along with his blog) organise his thoughts on the subject.
The Laws Of Simplicity is a gentle thoughful, elegantly designed book, undaunting (light?) at only 100 pages. John offers insight into the thought processes behind product/interface design - particularly the i-pod wheel. More examples would have been nice here though. We also get a window into how John integrates the theme of simplicity into his own life (as he matures, he confesses to listening to less and less music, instead favouring the soundtrack of the world surrounding him). Maeda encourages us to focus on some of the more humble yet powerful tools of simplification and organisation (organisation being one of the 'laws') for example, the power of the tab-key / the space bar / the return key within information organisation. There is an attempt to find the 'one law to rule them all' which for me is unconvincing, unnecessary and frankly (I found) clumsily made, however this is an insightful book which throws in a nice mix of practice, theory, biography and philosophy on the subject.
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