Simplicity: Why Less is More

It's also the key to a better reader experience.

What a lovely looking desk, right? So few distractions. So clean and pristine. Photo by Bench Accounting on Unsplash

How can I make this simpler?

It's a question that has long haunted me. As a designer, this is often a vital checkpoint question, serving as a touchstone throughout either reworking an existing product or evaluating a possible design.

Quick Design Philosophy

Drawing inspiration from Dieter Rams, I've always felt that 'Less is More'.

It's about taking a step back and inspecting where you can cut. What can be eliminated. This process mirrors editing a piece of writing. It's all too tempting to keep adding, but more often than not, we need to slash away.

"Murder your darlings", an age-old phrase, sums up the pain and necessity of this process, especially when you've deeply connected with your own creations.

It's about removing those elements you hold dear, which don't genuinely serve the story or experience. Always, always consider your audience first.

It Works Out in The Wild Too

Our experiences often mirror our designs. On my travels throughout Europe in September, I realized the joy in simpler plans.

Fewer sights led to richer, fuller experiences, showing the importance of decluttering not just our designs but our lives. Trying to do less can lead to more moments of discovery and joy.

Like the moment my wife just turned right into a building and we spent half an hour in pure wonder at the carved marble staircase and painted ceilings. We’d discovered a architecural wonder, co-working space and art gallery all in one. Just because we turned right. Because we didn’t really have plans.

And it was far more fulfilling and fun than the tourist trap we hit next.

Can We Apply This to Real “Wordy” Things?

For The Reader Experience, the first realization was that it's a website before it's a newsletter. Hence, website best practices are paramount.

The mantra? "Recognition over recall".

My design should be straightforward, with recognizable navigation that syncs with the rest of the web's language. Complexity in words and concepts often masks true meaning.

My Prepare, Produce, Package, Promote framework is great and all, but no one knows what it means. It’s terrible for navigation.

And so, I've decided to stick to a single platform, Substack, to eliminate the learning curve for my readers and ensure all premium content remains accessible.

Free readers are just as valued. Hence, all content will be free for a month before transitioning to premium. The diligent can freely access, read, and store all the value I provide within that generous window.

Supporters now get a clearer picture, a more direct value. And it simplifies things for me, a win-win-win. Reduced admin time frees up more hours for me to add genuine value.

So, in essence:

• All content on Substack.

• Including prompts, how-to's, and updates.

So here's the deal: I'm locking in this experiment for the next three months. Less flip-flopping, more letting things simmer.

I've seen some good signs that you all see value in what I'm doing – I mean, a 4% jump to paid subscriptions ain't bad, right?

Especially while I'm still ironing out the format.

So, Less should feel like more, going forward.

Thank you for your support (and patience),

Zane

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