Occam’s Razor

Occam’s Razor is a problem-solving principle devised in the 14th Century that states that simplicity is better than complexity. It has many applications, running from detective work to deductive reasoning about the cosmos.

Think of Apple. Steve Jobs’ philosophy embraced Occam’s Razor. His iPad and iPhone, for example, are the proof: one button on the front of a seamless, self-contained device.

In design, Occam’s Razor encourages us to eliminate unnecessary elements that would decrease a design’s efficiency. So, when two products or designs have the same function, Occam’s Razor recomends selecting the simpler.

Therefore, when evaluating designs, analyze each element and remove as many as possible, without compromising the overall function. This should ensure that you remain with elements you have minimized as much as possible but which still work perfectly.

By asking ourselves a few questions about our design and our users’ expectations, and reacting accordingly, shaving off the clutter or moving less important bits to other pages, we’ll serve our users and ourselves best.

More reading:

https://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2010/07/occams-razor-a-great-principle-for-designers/

https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/occam-s-razor-the-simplest-solution-is-always-the-best

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