I was told this by my weightlifting coach recently when I said that the sudden lack of jerks in our new program was going to make me worse at jerks.
I was being a bit sarcastic, was only half-serious, and perhaps a bit dramatic. But this statement did get me thinking about something else…
Tech and design.
More is rarely better, actually.
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Usually, when looking at one product, more is complicated. More distracts us from the core purpose and function. The more things a product throws at us, the less likely we’ll use it for its intended purpose.
I’m a minimalist in most of what I do. When I design something, everything I include has a place and purpose. If it doesn’t, I lose it. I do this because, for myself, when I use a product, the less I have to think about where to go and what to click or tap, the more efficient I am at doing a task.
I would estimate that this would be best for the majority of people, even though some may not admit it. Some people really like shiny, complex, fancy things with lots of bells…but this may not do them any favours.
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More products (web and mobile) is not better.
We, as a society, are generally unwell. We’ve done it to ourselves.
We are constantly being bombarded by new products. All these things claim to make us better and more productive to do more, be more, produce more. Capitalism, at its finest.
It’s making us more indecisive. Most of us bounce between so many different products on a daily basis, causing more and more executive dysfunction (one symptom of ADHD, but people without ADHD experience this too). Executive dysfunction increases anxiety.
Most of us have to check all these different products regularly just to keep up, preventing us from truly being ‘in the zone’ and getting work done.
I believe what we need is less — but more intentional products.
In a single product, this looks like features that crush its intended purpose with ease, rather than one product that does 30 tasks but don’t work optimally.
When thinking about the volume of products, we want products that enhance our lives only. If it will not make our lives easier and more convenient, what is the point?
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As creators, we need to ask if users really need it. We need to ask ourselves if we’re doing it because we believe users need it, or if we just had an idea and want to make it.
Sometimes a really good idea comes along that does prove to be needed. With those kinds of ideas, run with them. Keep them intentional and focused so they are functional and actually help rather than distract.
But I think people will just keep creating things. Humans are inventive in nature and we will keep creating things that claim to help but but only will dig some of us deeper into a pit.
We of course can’t control how many new products are out there or the details of each product. What we can control, though, is our exposure to any of them.
Choose wisely. Things cluttering our mind or space and further distracting us from what’s important won’t do us any favours.
