I’m thinking of buying this book. I just imagine it would be an interesting and meaningful experience since we try to design (if not simple) less complicated software (in contrary to most other business software companies).
The author of the book is John Maeda who’s a graphic designer, visual artist, and computer scientist at the MIT Media Lab. He’s been dubbed “the Master of Simplicity,”. The book outlines ten laws of simplicity over 100 pages. I read this extract from the book on 37signals’ blog which made me think a little:

“Imagine a world in which software companies simplified their programs every year by shipping with 10% fewer features at 10% higher cost due to the expense of simplification. For the consumer to get less and pay more seems to contradict sound economic principles…Yet in spite of the logic of demand, “simplicity sells.”

The ten laws are:

Law 1: Reduce
The simplest way to achieve simplicity is through thoughtful reduction.

Law 2: Organize
Organization makes a system of many appear fewer.

Law 3: Time
Savings in time feel like simplicity.

Law 4: Learn
Knowledge makes everything simpler.

Law 5: Differences
Simplicity and complexity need each other.

Law 6: Context
What lies in the periphery of simplicity is definitely not peripheral.

Law 7: Emotion
More emotions are better than less.

Law 8: Trust
In simplicity we trust.

Law 9: Failure
Some things can never be made simple.

Law 10: The One
Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious, and adding the meaningful.

Has anybody read it? Is it any good? Will it revolotionize my life? Make me sing on my way to work?