Complexity isn’t intelligence — it’s inertia. Simplicity is how smart systems express confidence. The best experiences disappear quickly, leaving only the feeling of progress.
Subtractive design, not decorative restraint
Minimalism is an aesthetic. Simplicity is a strategy. Remove anything that doesn’t improve comprehension or speed.
- Declare a single outcome per page; everything else defers.
- Normalize rhythm: shared spacing tokens for headings, sections, and cards.
- Cut micro-variance: one corner radius family, one focus style, one loader system.
Minimal code, maximal clarity
In code, simplicity means fewer dependencies and clearer contracts. In design, it means hierarchies that breathe and navigation that explains itself.
- Consolidate utilities: replace ad-hoc helpers with a small, explicit core.
- Kill dead branches: remove unused routes, flags, and feature toggles.
- Bounded latency: loaders narrate cause + ETA + control; don’t animate silence.
“Good design is invisible. Great design feels inevitable.”
Language that compiles
Labels should model outcomes, not nouns. “Export report” beats “Download.” “Compare plans” beats “Pricing.” Copy is part of the system: strong subjects, one intent per sentence, and clear postconditions.
Accessibility is how simplicity ships
- Contrast first: meet WCAG ratios; low-contrast UI only feels “clean” to rested eyes in perfect light.
- Focus budget: visible rings in both themes at ≥3:1 contrast, keyboardable everywhere.
- Reduced motion: keep semantic cues (origin/target) with still states when animation is off.
15-minute declutter
- Pick one primary action per page; demote siblings to secondary.
- Cap line length to 70ch for prose; 60ch for dense UI copy.
- Remove one decorative effect and buy contrast with the budget.
- Unify button shapes and focus states across top flows.
- Swap generic spinners for cause + ETA + cancel/retry.
At Logically Incorporated, we refactor code and copy with the same rule: if it doesn’t move the experience forward, it’s noise. True simplicity isn’t emptiness — it’s purpose.
Less clutter. More coherence.