Laws of Simplicity

John Maeda
John Maeda

Laws of Simplicity

Tags

Get Updates

Contributors

John Maeda
 

March 31 / Reebok Emoretion Launch

Media_httplawsofsimpl_rvphf
My new limited edition shoe collaboration with Reebok will be launched on March 31, 2008. The new emoretion is my take on a Reebok classic Freestyle based upon the 7th law law7();?>: More emotions are better than less. To develop the emoretion I worked with Reebok to come up with 67 words that became the "style DNA" for these shoes -- words like confident, genius, and fearless. FYI The first shoe I did with Reebok called "timetanium" was based upon the 3rd law law3();?> and sold out in 14 hours.
Posted by John Maeda
 

Em Ay See ... Em Pee Three ...

Media_httplawsofsimpl_rbyro
An old friend from Korea brought by this heavily law1();?>-ed size and too-too cute MP3 player where the "ears" are spherical knobs to adjust volume and song. Although simple, white, and small, this little fella makes up for its insignificance in size with a shot of law7();?> powered by the both loved and disdained, Monsieur Mickey. The design of the device reminded me of my Mickey-themed egg timer (pictured in the background) that I picked up in Tokyo around fifteen years ago. Until today I had thought it was a Graves design, but Google can't find it. If you know the design origin please let me know.
Posted by John Maeda
 

Forever Stamps

Media_httplawsofsimpl_juuhi
Looking through my stamp drawer I see a variety of penny and two-penny stamps that I use to "upgrade" my older valued stamps to whatever the current USPS rate might be. My memory isn't all that great, and thus I have found the pursuit of mastering knowledge of current postage rates to be an elusive art. As a remedy, I developed a US postage finder a few months back that wasn't working anymore as the USPS server had changed its service finder. I just fixed it and was glad to do so as I hadn't realized that domestic rates had gone up from $0.39 to $0.41 recently. When I made that post, a kind reader pointed out the forever stamps now available in different countries. The concept is simple. You never have to be confused by the changing postage rate as the value of the stamp is eternal. A few posts back we debated the value of saving law3();?> and concluded that there are often moments when you wish to savor an experience for a longer period. In the savoring case, you would want to prolong the pleasure. But on the other hand, there are definite instances for when you'd like to curtail the pain of an experience -- like trying to figure out whether you have enough postage affixed to your envelope. I have a friend that purposefully collects the most beautiful stamps to periodically affix to his personal communications. The experience of receiving these letters is profound. In that sense, he has chosen favoring law7();?> over the efficiency of saving law3();?>. So in conclusion, as I send this letter off to the health insurance agency to whom I have no particular feelings for on this date and don't mind the efficiency of a forever stamp, I feel my life is simplified. But tomorrow as I ship a few letters off to some old friends, I think I might browse through my stamp drawer to see if I can find something more law7();?>-ally meaningful.
Posted by John Maeda
 

Sign of Power

Media_httplawsofsimpl_xcxdb
My visual system was overpowered by this bus stop sign in Taiwan during a recent trip. It seems to use every kind of typeface, every possible color, and every possible means to express a great deal of information. In a drab urban landscape, it appeared like a gorgeous flower sprouting from the concrete sidewalks. Although I luckily did not have to try to decipher the sign as I was traveling by foot, I certainly appreciated the law7();?>-al dimension that it contributed.
Posted by John Maeda
 

Crossing the Chasm

Media_httplawsofsimpl_apidv

Much has been said about Moore's Technology Adoption Curve and the difficulty of getting consumers to "cross the chasm" to achieve success in the marketplace. Today I was wondering whether the simplest solution to help consumers make the jump across the chasm is to just focus on ensuring that your product embodies simplicity. This may seem like a simplistic answer, but it does help to explain why products with simple operation, simple concept, simple marketing message do manage to succeed. Perhaps the more question is what happens after the early and late majority adopts the product? Consumers bore of the simplicity of the device and desire more. Complexity is sprinkled over the product to enhance the law7();?>-al attachment to spice up the relationship. Does simplicity pull them in initially for the first date, and then complexity reels them in further to make for a steamy relationship? Some stay wed to their devices/objects forever; others go looking for a new fling. law5();?> is a good thing.
Posted by John Maeda
 

Emotional Design

Media_httpimagesamazo_pffgq
Media_httpwwwassocama_ukbpf

Usability guru Don Norman makes a case for the useless. Now that's truly useful! (But I wish the cover was designed to be sensitive to my own emotions ...)
Posted by John Maeda
 

Law 7: Emotion

Media_httplawsofsimpl_dokdl
More emotions are better than less.
Posted by John Maeda
Theme by Cory Watilo.
More great Posterous themes at themes.posterous.com.