Keep it and make it simple!

A Great Solution Does Not Have To Be Complicated

As published on Medium, Sep 14 · 2 min read

I always remind my colleagues and the startup founders and entrepreneurs I mentor and coach: Don’t complicate things, keep it and make it simple.

Sadly as technology evolved complexity has crept into every corner of our lives. In fact the theme that technologists and innovators use is “Technology makes it better and simpler”. Well that is not the case. Simplicity and technology does not go hand to hand. Just look at the way we communicate. There are myriad of apps that people use in business, entertainment, daily life and socially.

Yes, there are few that are the norms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and so on. But seriously how many apps do you use daily? One? not even close.

The future technologies promised to simplify life, not complicate it. But, did it really?

Not even close. That’s not what happened.

In the contrary the new technology has created a new problem in the form of “taking over your life” process and syndrome.
It’s a sinister but a well orchestrated process that slowly entraps you into it’s webs and almost suffocates you.
From your workstation at work or home office, to the living room entertainment center and even in the driver’s seat of your car, technology is taking over more and more of your life and believe it or not your time.

And despite our better intentions, each piece of technological advancement can actually make things even more complicated with a new system/process to learn and understand, a new login to remember, and ‘spin-dry and redo’ when an update is implemented by the talented ‘never ending updates’ coders! Humans are faced with an technology overload, and it can be a productivity killer.

Things were simpler in the past. New continents were discovered with the use of starts, the sun, intellectual curiosity and simple math thousands of year ago. We went to space and to the moon with simple technology.

Look inside the Gemini 4 capsule used for the first American space walk. It’s simplicity is just beautiful.
https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/capsule-gemini-iv
Link to video about Gemini 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJdVsmtDrgUSmithsonian
Gemini 4 inside panoramic pics.:https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/capsule-gemini-iv

Simple is the solution!
You want to accomplish more by keeping it simple. Return to focusing on the things that really matter, really need, really saves you time and things that you really need to have. It is always tempting to adopt a new technology simply because it’s new and others think it’s hip. Don’t get caught up in the hype. Stay away from the technology overload syndrome!