The expressions “Keep it simple, stupid”, “Kill your darlings” and “Less is more” all pinpoint the fact that simplicity is important.

Simplicity lasts. Simplicity is necessary in order to properly convey any idea.

Content is King, Consistency is Queen

When performing an oral presentation, it is said that the message is composed of 60% body language, 10% speech and 30% tone of voice.

If this were to be at least partially true for web design, we could say that on the web, a message is composed of 60% design, 10% actual content and 30% writing style.

I believe that content is king. It always will be. But—evidently—an excellently written text easily disappears if placed in an improperly designed environment, and excels when appearing in a well-designed context.

Consistency helps to create simplicity. In an environment where nothing is constant, interface consistency is of the essence. I’m all for innovative interfaces. But when pressing an arrow that points downwards, most people expect an element (e.g. a text block) to move down, not up.

The best designs are simple, because they contain no unnecessary elements… and contain the necessary elements in a way that seems logical.

The Three Elements of Design

The three fundamental elements of graphic design are balance, contrast and invisible lines.

Balance refers to the overall composition of images, graphical elements and typography within a design. Contrast refers to the interaction between design elements. Invisible lines are the areas created between the different parts of a design (for example, the palpable but invisible lines that run vertically and horizontally between the crop marks on a printed page).

Good design, regardless of target medium or audience, takes these elements into account. If one element is neglected, the design will be unbalanced. For instance, a design could be extremely visually balanced and quite graphically sophisticated, but still incomplete because of a dull choice of color. All elements are equally important.

Being aware of the three elements of design is a key to obtaining simplicity.

When a design doesn’t feel quite right, many designers are inclined to add elements instead of removing unnecessary ones, resulting in overloaded designs. Sometimes, it’s better to start over instead of trying to fix or change the design. To quote hell.com; “trying to fix or change something, only guarantees and perpetuates its existence.”

Learning the skill of asking oneself “does this really need to be here?” is the first step towards creating simplicity. The next is understanding the motivations of your audience.

How do People Work?

If I truly understood how people work, I wouldn’t be writing this article, but rather sipping a perfectly mixed daquiri underneath the palm trees on a beach somewhere quite far away from Sweden.

However, I do understand a little, just by examining my own behavior. Over the years, I’ve found that in order to design well, it’s important to take into consideration how people generally work.

1. People want to be entertained: This explains why games and pornography are so popular on the web. It also explains why so many people are TV slaves, because television is an excellent way to create a constant flow of varied visual and audio stimuli. This suits our brains perfectly, since the brain easily loses interest in things that don’t provide stimulus.

To entertain means to capture attention. The classic quote, “Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember, involve me and I’m yours” underscores the fact that emotionally engaging communication is the most efficient form of getting a message across.

For instance, two speakers at a conference could deliver the same speech with two very differing results, leaving behind one satisfied and one dissatisfied audience. The difference? 60% body language, 30% tone of voice. (The 10% message is the same.) It’s not until all elements of communication fully interact that efficient and emotionally engaging communication can be achieved.

2. People want to feel smart and discover things: That’s why the expression “show, don’t tell” was invented (and that’s also why we all despise toothpaste commercials).

Form a circle with your thumb and index finger. Let the circle symbolize communication. Now open the circle by moving the fingers away from each other.

The gap between the fingers symbolizes a communication gap. If the communication gap is too wide, the message is too obscure for people to understand. If the circle is too narrow, the message is too obvious (toothpaste) and therefore uninteresting.

3. People don’t have time to learn things that are too complicated: Thousands of people have never programmed their VCR. WAP (wireless application protocol) has not become truly successful because it’s complicated and the obvious benefits are obscured. Many people are hesitant to book flights online, because the actual booking process is complicated and it’s much easier to just call a travel agent. Hundreds of dot-coms have gone bankrupt because they didn’t have a business concept that people could understand.

Whether you’re designing a website, developing a new product, or trying to get your point across in a discussion, it’s good to remember that most people do have limited patience.

That’s why simplicity is important.

A Definition of Simplicity

What is simplicity? It could be defined as “the absence of unnecessary elements,” or even shorter “the essence.”

Simplicity doesn’t equal boring. Simplicity doesn’t equal shallow. Simplicity is especially important when designing information- and media-rich interfaces.

Simplicity isn’t a design style, it’s a perspective on design, an approach which often creates the most beautiful and the most usable results.

A common mistake is to think that obtaining simplicity is a matter of reduction, of reducing something which is more complete than the “simple” end result. On the contrary, simplicity requires serious thought and effort.

As I wrote in my article Fragments of time; “A modern paradox is that it’s simpler to create complex interfaces because it’s so complex to simplify them.”

How to Obtain Simplicity

Simplicity isn’t easy to obtain. I have, however, roughly devised a formula that lays the foundation for simplicity.

Albert Einstein said; “If A is to succeed in life, then A = x + y + z. Work is x, y is play and z is to listen.”

A functioning formula for simplicity (where A equals simplicity) could be A = x + y + z. x is good research and prototyping, y is play and z is the reduction of unnecessary elements.

By genuinely knowing your audience and your objectives, and building for them, you’ve won the first battle.

Quoted from www.digital-web.com

If you want to know if your logo is a good one, you first need to realize why you need a company logo in the first place. Of all the things you do to create a brand image, creating you logo is one of the most important. Your logo is the key to building the identity of your company. That’s not all it’s for, though. It should also communicate a powerful, positive and enduring message to your current and future customers.

Imagine all the places you’d like to see your logo printed. If you’re just starting to develop the identity of your business, your logo will go many places. It’s not just for stationary and business cards. Nowadays, you have to think about the Internet, and there are also the classics of the newspaper classifieds and magazine print. The trick is remembering all these uses when working with your designers.

You know you have a successful logo when it conveys both the character and the nature of your business to the people who see it. How does one get all those ideas into one little graphic? Here are some tips: Be clear with your designers. When you order your company logo design, give them a clear picture of the tone you’d like your logo to have. Make sure they have a clear understanding of your business and your clients. But remember, you are the businessperson, and they are the designer. Take time to ask them what they think would be best.

Make sure you find an experienced firm to handle your logo design. They can tell you the best kind of logo for your business. Ask to see their market research about the kinds of logos used in your industry, and make sure they have an understanding of your competitors’ logos and their effectiveness. From there, they should provide to you a set of logos from which to choose, and then they will customize your choice until you are satisfied.

To make sure your business stands out from the rest, don’t go with cheap amateur designs. Just as in any other industry, the professionals know best, and spending that extra money can provide great results for the life of your business. These days, many design firms have packages for even the smallest of companies. So look into your options, and make sure you check out a company’s portfolio and pricing before you commit. When you find the right firm for your logo needs, you can come up with the perfect design for a reasonable price.

Quoted from www.logoorange.com

You can get a quality corporate identity by building your brand and cleverly marketing your product. That’s all pretty abstract, so what are the actual steps? It’s not as hard as you may think.

The first thing is the branding. Included in that are logo designs, stylish business cards and sophisticated brochures. Your front-line soldiers on your brand are going to be your brochures and ads. Make sure as many people as possible in your area see them. If you haven’t created a brochure, you can work with your design firm to produce one that describes the specialties of your company. Handing out fliers will increase your business awareness and put you farther on the road to long-term success.

You have to start thinking of brochures and business cards as a personal ad you hand directly to customers. Think of a letter as an ad that comes to your potential clients in the mail. When you create marketing materials, make sure all letters, envelopes and business cards have your corporate logo on it. This consistency and professionalism will enhance your credibility. Plus, when a client sees your logo over and over, on your business card, flier and letterhead, they will be more likely to remember you in the long-run. So, a strong visual identity is an important building block for your overall corporate identity.

If you have yet to create your logo, get it done as soon as possible, and get it done by a professional. An amateur logo can hurt your business as much as a good one might help. A corporate identity and logo designed especially for your business needs can attract great business to your company. As part of your overall company brand-building strategy, a good logo is a key piece of the puzzle.

Quoted from www.logoorange.com

One great benefit of marketing is that on an ongoing basis it allows people to give you feedback about your business and what you offer. Through your marketing activities and a strong corporate identity you will be generating feedback from your customers they will either support you or they won’t. A company can enhance its company logo branding simply by listening to customers and potential customers. People want to be heard; when they know that they have a go-to brand that provides exactly the service they are asking for, they will have no need to go anywhere else. If you don’t present yourself clearly and you cannot offer what they want then they might well vote with their feet and walk away. This is why branding and having the right corporate identity is so critical to the success of a business.

One of the most popular topics for business owners always tends to be branding and corporate identity. This makes a lot of sense. After all, branding and your corporate identity is central to your marketing strategy – it is the visible and emotional badge representing your standards and values.

A strong brand identity adds tremendous value to a business; indeed it can be your strongest asset; or your worst liability. An effective brand should:

• Create your desired perception and positioning within your market
• Create clear differentiation from your competition
• Deliver an emotional `feel-good’ factor
• Provide strong recognition and memory recall value
• Impart your values and persona

Company logo and branding campaigns have never been more important. With so much competition, and on such a global scale, it’s critical to establish one’s company logo as a stayer and a player. A fresh company logo along with permission based email, advertising, value added information and a strong product will enhance your company’s success for years to come.

When you take a moment to assess the corporate logos and brands that have achieved the most success in the marketplace, you soon realize that the most important thing is to find a design that will last for decades. You want a design that it encapsulates everything about your organization now and into the future and is not too traditional that it is boring, nor too trendy that it will be out of date next year. Sometimes you may even opt to incorporate something about the history of the company in the corporate logo and branding package if that is an important part of the companies culture.

When you embark on having a corporate logo designed for your company, you need to remember that it is critical that the final design represents your organization as succinctly as possible. Ask your designer to help you create a design that is not too large or too small, that is easy to remember and friendly on the eye. Your logo ideally, will tell a story in just seconds and stay with the viewer for hours or even days later.

Quoted from www.logoorange.com