On simplicity

Two startups caught my eye recently for the same reason – their simplicity. Posterous is a blogging tool which allows you to blog via email and When Is Good is a meeting scheduling tool. Both only do exactly what they say and nothing else.

Simplicity is important. Users are increasingly bombarded with thousands of offers every day most of which are trying to do to much. What is great about these two startups is that the do one thing well. You can build a business out of doing one thing well – look at Google. I’m not saying either of these is another Google but they will both be successful.

One of the most popular inventions on the web are PHPBB forums which basically rely on threaded text discussions. The reason why I like the Ruthless Forum is that they have strict rules on images/sigs etc. to keep things simple so the discussion can flow.

Kitchen Nightmares

On of my favourite TV shows is Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares. I love it but it is the same story every week. Gordon goes in, he finds a chef/owner overcomplicating everything, Gordon says ‘keep it simple’ then they all live happily ever after – if they take his advice, there are occasional backsliders.

Last night’s episode was about a curry house set up in Nottingham by a former salesman. When he began he wanted to please all of his customers all of the time and went for a pick n mix menu. By trying to please everyone he delighted no-one, there was no reason to go to the restaurant and it was failing. Gordon helped him strip the menu down and after that things stated to look up.

Simplicity is attractive. Colin Powell said the great leaders are the great simplifiers and the same holds true everywhere. I know from my experience the best lawyers are the ones who can explain the law simply (and it is always possible) and the worst ones are those who try and claim everything is ‘complex’. It’s the Wizard of Oz concept – they don’t want you to see the little man running around behind the curtain.