Principled Innovation LLC

PI Interview #5: Six Questions for John Maeda

October 29th, 2006

As I have written on this blog in the past, I believe a move toward greater simplicity is both a huge necessity and a strategic opportunity for every association. Like all aging institutions, associations must take stock of the many roles they play in a society experiencing paradigm shift, and explore with the utmost care and intention which elements of their traditional work can be simplified to make it easier for staff, volunteers and members to succeed.

The recently-released book, The Laws of Simplicity, is a powerful study of the concept of simplicity and its implications for technology, business and life. I was delighted when the book’s author, Professor John Maeda of the MIT Media Lab, agreed to answer my questions.

1. Why should the leaders of businesses and non-profit organizations care about simplicity?

Anyone involved with media technology will care about simplicity because we live in a world where you get increasingly more technology for paradoxically less money. It’s hard to resist a good bargain, so we inevitably binge on technology beyond our point of being full and soon get over our heads in complexity. We then look to simplicity for salvation.

2. What is the real meaning of “simplicity” and how does it apply in an organizational context?

Simplicity is about knowing exactly when to engage in complexity. If life were simple all the time, it would be boring. An organization of people is inherently complex. Add in phonecalls and 24/7 Blackberry messaging and it quickly gets out of hand. The Laws of Simplicity provides useful tools for coping with the chaos through understanding its nature.

3. If “simplicity is the soul of design,” how do organizational leaders develop a design orientation to facilitate their appreciation of simplicity?

I think that one of [Dan] Pink’s “six senses” is useful here. Empathy (and the passion to express those feelings) is critical to adopting a design-centered approach.

4. Your tenth law, which you refer to as “The One,” states, “Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious, and adding the meaningful.” How do leaders who do not have a design orientation discern what is “obvious?”

The answer is obvious (smile). The Second Law of Organize is a useful way to get to the clarity necessary to see what to remove. I provide such a tool on my website to help. It’s called SLIP: Sort, Label, Integrate, Prioritize.

5. What connections, if any, do you see or imagine between simplicity and growth?

External growth is about complexity; internal growth is about simplicity. The world around us seeks entropy; the world inside us seeks peace.

6. Which organizations are leaders in embracing simplicity in their work? I know you are involved in Philips’s work in this area, but are there other companies or organizations thinking about these issues, and what are they thinking?

Apple is the traditional example to use. Philips is probably the biggest one out there. I would include Motorola in their new line of 4-letter abbreviated phones (RAZR, PEBL, etc) and 37signals for their simplicity-themed collaboration systems like Basecamp.

From a strategic perspective, Professor Maeda offers a couple of critical and, I believe, actionable insights for association leaders. First, he argues that “simplicity is about knowing exactly when to engage in complexity.” My advice to association CEOs and boards, then, is to make simplicity the default position for their strategic decision-making. To put it another way, association leaders should be asking themselves this question regularly: in a time of growing complexity, what is the simplest strategic choice we can make that will create value for our members, customers and stakeholders? Beginning with this mindset should make it easier for leaders to anticipate when and where it will be necessary to address complexity in the operating environment.

The second key insight for associations is the emphasis on empathy. Going forward, associations must look for ways to engage their members and customers that allow them to express the depth and breadth of their life experiences more fully. Associations must be able to get inside their members’ stories to unlock hidden insights that will create a more powerful platform for designing new value-creating offers. Bottom line: skip the survey and create a space for meaningful dialogue instead.

The deeper conversation I hope we can have in the association community connects back to Professor Maeda’s original observations on simplicity and growth. I will post something on this subject in the near future. For now, however, I would like to know your thoughts on this specific issue (the link between simplicity and growth), not to mention the entire interview. Please e-mail me with your ideas, comments and questions, or leave them as comments below!

Entry Filed under: Principled Innovation Blog, What's New?, The Principled Innovator Newsletter, Social Media, PI Interviews, Innovation, Associations, Extreme Makeover, The Association Innovator, Simplicity, We Have Always Done It That Way