Creativity Now, 2nd Edition

Keep it simple

THE PRINCIPLE

Keep your eye on the core functions of what you create

The deeper you get into the process of creating your project, the easier it is to go off on a tangent. One of the most seductive tangents is to keep adding new functions and bells and whistles.

This is what I call the ‘Wouldn’t it be cool?’ trap. You’re creating something and suddenly you have an idea for an element you could add. ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if this also …?’ you say to yourself, and tack on something else. This happens a lot with software, and often this ‘features bloat’ ends up slowing down the key functions that are all most users care about.

Sometimes the temptation to add things is an effort to appeal to a wider group of potential customers. ...