For a number of reasons, I have been studying credible information in order to learn more and to better understand the who, what, when, where, why, how and potential future of organizations that are literally and radically changing the world.
Google, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and thousands of other organizations are investing tens of billions of dollars in order to simplify. That is… to make using their products and services simple… and then even more simple in terms of user and customer interface and engagement. Possibly more than anytime in human history, gamechangers, and potential gamechangers are focused, even radically fixated on simplifying user and customer interface and engagement.
Complexity is out… simplicity is in!
The engines, backbone, software, algorithms, code, hardware, incredibly fast interfaces and other foundational components of the products of these gamechangers are indeed complex. Virtually no one understands and can operate all of these foundational components. Precious few understand and can operate even one or two of these highly complex foundational components.
Regardless of the complexity in the backrooms and clouds of these organizations, these organizations are totally committed to the concept of simplicity for the user.
As the backrooms and clouds become more complex and interconnected over time, the mandate for simple… and even simpler user and customer interface and engagement grows even more important. Think about it. Among many other very complex challenges and accomplishments:
- Google simplified accessing information from throughout the world.
- Facebook simplified making and maintaining connections among friends and friends of friends
- Twitter’s founder has publicly said. “My goal is to simplify complexity. I just want to build stuff that simplifies our base human interaction.”
- YouTube, the largest video platform in the world with over 2 billion views a day, is aggressively pursuing simplicity in every area of its business, particularly user interface.
YouTube executives understand that if they can continue to effectively simplify user interface and interaction, they will become the overwhelming worldwide leader in TV, video, and broadcasting! If you would like to have a little fun, just imagine the results of successfully monetizing the overwhelming worldwide leader in TV, video and broadcasting! Helpful hint: you and your heirs for the next 10 to 20 generations will never come close to having enough pockets to carry the cash!
A simple example of the power of simplicity is as follows. My wife has spent a number of hours during the past week endeavoring to correct two relatively small mistakes made by two different very well-known banks. Neither issue is debatable, someone simply made a mistake. She has spent time on the Internet, on the phone and in person at each of these banks…a total, complete waste of time knowing that each bank simply made a mistake. Their customer interface is not simple! The result is as follows. I will move several lucrative personal and business accounts, in the blink of an eye, to a bank who has successfully simplified their customer interface and engagement.
So here is the critical question. What are you and your organization doing to simplify your programs, products and services, particularly in the areas of user interface and engagement? The question is not restricted to only your company. How simple is it to interface with and engage you? I would bet good money that, from an outsider’s perspective, interfacing with and engaging you is not nearly as simple as you might think. The same is true for me.
Gamechangers… some of the very brightest people in the world who will change the world forever… are locked in and absolutely fixated on improving and increasing simplicity. Are you one of them?
More often than not, success comes from simplicity… and simplicity produces success!
