11. Focused and Versatile
There’s an unhelpful dichotomy out there that pits “simple” apps against “complex” apps, with the simple ones being praised and the complex ones being derided. Supposedly iOS is inaugurating a “post-PC” era, because it removes the complexity that was present in desktop systems. Designers and developers are encouraged to “do one thing well” rather than allow feature after feature to creep into their apps. All these things are true in a way, but they oversimplify the concept of simplicity. The word “simple” when applied to software doesn’t mean only one thing. There are different kinds of simplicity, and which kind you should aim for depends on the app you want to make.
What are people talking about when they say software ...
Get Learning iOS Design: A Hands-On Guide for Programmers and Designers now with the O’Reilly learning platform.
O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.
