Scott Karp makes an excellent argument about how a simple user interface enables greater adoption and more effective use of advanced tools:
The archetypal example of simplicity driving technology adoption is Google search. Type what you're looking for into a box and click "search." What could be simpler? Especially when that's the only thing on the page. Of course, the technology behind Google is extremely complex, but it's completely transparent to users.
Apple has also benefited from its devotion to simplicity. I remember the first iPod being criticized for all the features it lacked â€" but it had just enough features to retain its simplicity and introduce digital music to millions of people.
Blogging was a revolution of simplicity. That's why I always get strange looks when I say that a blog is just a CMS â€" content management systems were onces ponderous, byzantine applications. But to blog, all you need to do is write a title, some content, and click publish. Voila, you're a publisher.
Here's one more: Wikis make collaboration simple. And because of that, they make it possible to properly grow and manage an organization's knowledge , gather input from multiple sources, build communities with a high level of engagement and participation, and promote greater transparency. It's all possible because of the simplicity of a wiki. Just click edit, change the existing content or add some new content, and click save. Voila, everyone else on your team now has the most up to date information.
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