Iteration
I recently read Simplifying the Bull: How Picasso Helps to Teach Apple’s Style, an article that connects how Apple teaches their designers to strive for simplicity when creating smartphones and other devices to the way in which Picasso eliminated details to create a great work of art.
Le Taureau (The Bull). Pablo Picasso, 1945.
Lisa Mouse, 1983 | ADB Mouse II, 1993 | Mighty Mouse, 2006 | Magic Mouse, 2009.
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
It is very interesting to see such a clear and visual evolution of a work of art or a product, trying to eliminate the superfluous and reduce it to its essence. A designer understands that “less is more” and that “perfection is finally attained not when there is no longer anything to add, but when there is no longer anything to take away”, although striving towards simplicity on one level may increase the complexity of the system on a different level.
However, the important thing for me in these cases is the idea of iteration; this applies to absolutely everything, from writing, public speaking, cooking, designing and programming to business strategy or process.
Being able to do good work involves learning, correcting and improving during each iteration based on the feedback you get, and every intermediate step is necessary to reach the final solution.
That’s why I believe iteration is the ultimate sophistication.
April 28, 2020 | @ArturoHerrero