Simple and usable - snippets from the book

I've recently finished and really enjoyed a book by Giles Colborne - Simple and Usable. So much so, I'd probably recommend this as a good read for anyone, right up there with Steve Krug's Don't Make Me Think. A few snippets I jotted down when reading to help me keep in mind...

Mainstreamers vs Experts

When you're setting your vision, make sure the mainstreamer is at the heart of it so you can't sneak in the convenient skills of the expert to get you out of a tricky design problem.

• Mainstreamers are interested in getting the job done now; experts are interested in customising their settings first
• Mainstreamers value ease of control; experts value precision of control.
• Mainstreamers want reliable results; experts want perfect results
• Mainstreamers are afraid of breaking something; experts want to take things apart to see how they work
• Mainstreamers want a good match; experts want an exact match
• Mainstreamers want examples and stories; experts want principles

Simple and Usable - a book by Giles Colborne

"...roughly the first third of any project is spent trying to figure out what's really important. It's a nerve wracking time, as complexity seems to spiral and there's no solution in sight. Sticking with it is the first and most important step in achieving simplicity."

"Sharing your vision means that the right decisions get made even when you're not there. It means your stakeholders can tell the difference between good decisions and bad decisions."

www.simpleandusable.com - the website of the book

Secrets of Simplicity: rules for being simple and usable - presentation slides by Giles Colborne