This quote about Simplicity from Steve Jobs should tell us everything we need to know about the ‘benefit’ of complexity.

“This has been one of my mantras: focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: you have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple.”

Just think about what any smartphone replaces:

• The phone you used to carry.
• Your camera.
• The sat-nav you used to have in your car.
• The Walkman you used to carry around.
• The Dictaphone you used to have in your briefcase.
• The TV you have in your living room.
• The radio in your kitchen.
• The email software and web browser you used on your computer.
• The video phone you used to see on sci-fi movies.

Yet kids can use them. And (some) pensioners.

It’s hard to design such a complex device in such a way that it’s simple to use. Is your device as complex as a smartphone? Is there any excuse for letting it be hard to use?

But this isn’t just about products. Make yourself a simple company to do business with.

• Simple processes.
• Simple services.
• Simple pricing.

Simple is never bad. We just think complex makes us look smart.