Is anything difficult?
Complexity can mean different things to different people.
A designer might not see complexity the same way a sales manager or an engineer would.
Firstly, this got me thinking about what it means to be a power simplifier.
Here’s what I’ve learned:
Write as you speak. Read things out loud. If it doesn’t sound natural, it probably isn’t clear. This should honestly be taught in schools.
Use expert knowledge, but welcome pushback. Good simplification doesn’t avoid complexity, it filters it through discussion and iteration.
Follow the rule of 3s. Keep things grouped in threes—Strategy, Focus, Goals. That’s usually enough.
Cut what’s not necessary. Don’t dilute. Be ruthless with edits.
Build mental models. Prioritisation, probability, and the courage to say no.
Secondly, taught by the right person, with the right interface, any concept can be made simple.
For example, back when Roman numerals were the standard, basic multiplication was seen as an advanced skill for trained mathematicians. But when Arabic numerals became common, kids could do arithmetic on paper. The problem wasn’t multiplication—it was how the numbers were represented.
Try solving 43 × 98 in your head and it feels hard. On paper, it’s just middle school math.
This is an interface problem and not a complexity problem.
