Editor’s Note: We originally published this op-ed about what simple technology really refers to on Sept. 19, 2024. We updated the article with additional information on Sept. 27, 2024.
Presently, I work in tech. Over the years, I have fielded thousands of requests to build some system, some product or some capability for an audience and, in doing so, have often heard the maxim, “Just keep it ‘simple.’ It needs to be as simple as possible.” Whether I was working in live events, IT support, media production and management, web management or product development, I have always had a role where I functioned as a designer or influencer of the technology solutions required by my organization. And, after so long, I feel confident saying this: Despite what people want you to think, there is no such thing as “simple” anymore in the world of technology.
‘Simple’ Has No Single Definition
This one word has more meanings than most I can think of in the English language. You may think: “Really, Leon? I’m pretty sure there is just one definition in the dictionary.” And, normally, you would be right. According to Webster’s, the definition of simple is “…plain, basic or uncomplicated in form, nature or design…”
But we don’t think like dictionaries when we speak to each other. When a person says, “This just needs to be as simple as possible,” I assure you that, in this statement, the word simple is far more loaded than what Webster’s can attest to within an out-of-context description in their latest volume. In fact, I think we should all understand today that this word has a constantly changing definition — and that is simply due to the fact that meaning, in communication, is really held and designed first and foremost by the communicator, not a culture or societal assumption.
‘Simplifying’ the Definition
Maybe, you need some more convincing. No worries! I will try to make this explanation as simple as possible. (See what I did there?)
Let’s take the example of a board room conference system that you’ve just been assigned to design for a client company. The system is intended to be used to support videoconferencing as well as audiovisual reinforcement for the in-room audience. You learn that the room is used frequently each day by groups of around 10 executives to display slide decks and conduct videoconferencing. Additionally, limited technicians plus congested scheduling of the space create challenges for the company. You are told by the client, “We really need an upgrade. Every time we try to do a virtual meeting, we have to fiddle with so many settings to get the visuals and sound just right. It takes so long. We need a new system that is simpler to use.”
However, let’s look at the clues here to see exactly what “simple” means in this scenario. Context clues tell us that their pain points have to do with the adjustment of lots of settings, which likely address variables that your client does not fully understand (or need to understand), and they believe a videoconferencing system should “just do” what the operator expects it to do.
Simple Technology Actually Involves Many Factors
Indeed, there are myriad factors to consider, from technology to human experience, from personal priorities to time constraints and the budget! In fact, from a purely technological perspective, there really isn’t anything “simple” going on when you recognize how much technology (often invisible) is being used in just one of the mentioned applications (video codecs, internet transmission, audio capture, power supply, etc.).
If we are being honest, it actually isn’t possible to deliver a solution that is uncomplicated in nature here, because the activity and the outcomes themselves are not uncomplicated in nature. Once you deliver exactly to the client a deliverable that they love, you know that you created something that is far from simple. But, you have to keep that to yourself. The client is happily served, and that is the important thing.
‘Simple’ Does Often Have a Common Theme
So, then, do we give up on the word, or even the idea of “simplicity”? Are we prevented from really providing the solutions people need because technology is just too complicated these days? No. But, I do want to encourage us to think differently about what “simple” means. I believe that, while there is no single pure definition of “simple” in every person’s mind, there is a common concept that underlies the meaning they have when they use the word.
Spoiler alert: It isn’t “uncomplicated,” elegant,” or “streamlined.” And it certainly isn’t “easy” or “cheap.”
So, what is it? It is intuitive.
An Example of “Simplification”
Here is another example, this time, from a real-world application: The year was 2020. My local church began live streaming our weekly services in order to stay connected as a congregation despite the physical limitations imposed by COVID-19 at the time. It was a somewhat standard setup in the beginning: computer, camera, audio input, Zoom and an internet connection. Later, we began streaming to Facebook, YouTube and our church website simultaneously. Instead of paid technical staff, the church recruited volunteers willing to learn to operate and ultimately manage the live-streaming system.
Eventually, we found that volunteers consistently felt uncomfortable with the setup, forgetting steps in the SOP and lacking confidence to troubleshoot issues. Despite designing everything around hardware and software that volunteers had in their offices and homes, we were still not yielding desired results. What once was, “I know this is as simple as it can be, and I’m sorry that I’m not getting it,” quickly turned into them saying, “It’s just not simple enough for someone like me.”
One day, I changed our setup to run completely off of iOS devices. An iPad was the main switching hub/control device and the iPhones and iPads were the camera sources. Audio hardware remained the same, but now they were connected to the headphone jack of an iPad instead of the input of a computer. We left Zoom in favor of Switcher Studio software, which ran as an iOS app from the App Store. Our multi-streaming software of choice (Restream.io) remained the same. Immediately, volunteers were operating the livestream with success and comfort. They no longer asked for supervision and started fixing issues as they arose.
Why Intuitiveness Matters
Let’s look at what happened here. The actual procedure for setting up and operating the stream was actually still relatively similar. The volunteers booted the hardware, mounted and adjusted the cameras, verified audio capture, logged into control software, sent the stream to the cloud and operated all of these things in real time. They also monitored and responded to the chat across multiple destinations. But something had changed. Somehow, they weren’t saying, “This is too complicated for me.” They were saying, “This is so much simpler.”
What was different? They were no longer using a standard desktop computer, but instead were handling familiar mobile devices. Instead of a keyboard, they used an index finger to manipulate the settings. Was this actually “simpler”? No. But, to them, it just felt more intuitive. To them, this was the real definition of the word “simple,” closely tied to their feeling of comfort and confidence.
The Takeaway
I’m sure that we can all find examples like this one, so I don’t think I’m breaking new ground here. What I want to encourage is the idea that we should not over-generalize the word “simple” or look at it as a throwaway term to describe the opposite of an experience we did not like.
Instead, I would challenge us to perhaps change the way we view the word, and make sure we get to the heart of what someone means when they might use it. Connect the word to the person who is saying it. After all, there is nothing “simple” about the human experience. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t feel differently.
Leon Prather is manager, digital product operations, AVIXA, also writing for AVIXA Xchange and hosting for AVIXA TV.
