--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Simplicity design axiom: The complexity…" description: "\"Simplicity design axiom: The complexity of the information appliance is that of the task, not the tool. The technology is invisible.\" — Donald A. Norman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c50/donald-a-norman-6862_appliances_simplicity-design-axiom-the-complexity-o_3014642.jpg" --- # Simplicity design axiom: The complexity of the information… ![“Simplicity design axiom: The complexity of the information appliance is that of the task, not the tool. The technology is invisible.” quote by Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c50/donald-a-norman-6862_appliances_simplicity-design-axiom-the-complexity-o_3014642.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c50/donald-a-norman-6862_appliances_simplicity-design-axiom-the-complexity-o_3014642.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c50/donald-a-norman-6862_appliances_simplicity-design-axiom-the-complexity-o_3014642.jpg) > “Simplicity design axiom: The complexity of the information appliance is that of the task, not the tool. The technology is invisible.” [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Design should match task complexity, making technology invisible and intuitive for users. **In simple terms:** Design should match task complexity, making technology invisible. Key Takeaway Design for task simplicity, hide tool complexity. Themes design usability technology Mood analytical practical Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - software development - product design - user training - interface evaluation Key Concepts human‑centered design cognitive load Questions to Reflect On - How can you simplify a complex tool? - When is tool visibility beneficial? A Different Perspective Complex tasks may still require visible aids. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Axioms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/axioms/) [Complexity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complexity/) [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Simplicity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simplicity/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Tools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tools/) ## Related quotes > [I am confident that for the foreseeable future (barring some catastrophic event affecting economic, energy, electrical, and communications systems), many subpopulations that use information…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/i-am-confident-that-for-the-foreseeable-future-barring-some/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [There's something that human beings understand inherently about simplicity in design.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-gardot/there-s-something-that-human-beings-understand-inherently-about/) [Melody Gardot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-gardot/) > [In 2007, everything changed with the iPhone. As crippled as that first model now seems, with its lack of apps and glacial cellular connectivity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/in-2007-everything-changed-with-the-iphone-as-crippled-as-that-first/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [I wrote a lot about the need for an information appliance. I think we've pretty much arrived at one: the iPad. A child could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/i-wrote-a-lot-about-the-need-for-an-information-appliance-i-think-we/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [In the consumer economy taste is not the criterion in the marketing of expensive soft drinks, usability is not the primary criterion in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/in-the-consumer-economy-taste-is-not-the-criterion-in-the-marketing/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [Everything has a trend to it; I don't care if it's appliances or engines. I always ask: What has a company done in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millard-drexler/everything-has-a-trend-to-it-i-don-t-care-if-it-s-appliances-or/) [Millard Drexler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millard-drexler/) > [As homeowners see the value of their homes decline, they become more likely to delay purchases of the big items - like automobiles, electronics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/as-homeowners-see-the-value-of-their-homes-decline-they-become-more/) [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) > [There will soon be streams of data coming from all manner of products - appliances, clothing, sporting goods, you name it. Wouldn't you rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-battelle/there-will-soon-be-streams-of-data-coming-from-all-manner-of-products/) [John Battelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-battelle/) > [They don't make poles long enough for me want to touch Microsoft products, and I don't want any mass-marketed game-playing device or Windows appliance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/they-don-t-make-poles-long-enough-for-me-want-to-touch-microsoft/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [Mix salt and sand, and it shall puzzle the wisest of men, with his mere natural appliances, to separate all the grains of sand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/mix-salt-and-sand-and-it-shall-puzzle-the-wisest-of-men-with-his-mere/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [If you have 50 different plug types, appliances wouldn't be available and would be very expensive. But once an electric outlet becomes standardized, many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/if-you-have-50-different-plug-types-appliances-wouldn-t-be-available/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Developed and benefited from the unsustainable patterns of production and consumption which have produced our present dilemma. It is clear that current lifestyles and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-strong/developed-and-benefited-from-the-unsustainable-patterns-of-production/) [Maurice Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-strong/) > [The wonderful world of home appliances now makes it possible to cook indoors with charcoal and outdoors with gas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/the-wonderful-world-of-home-appliances-now-makes-it-possible-to-cook/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) > [If you want a reliable tip, drive into a town, go to the nearest appliance store and seek out the dishwasher repair man. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-q-miller/if-you-want-a-reliable-tip-drive-into-a-town-go-to-the-nearest/) Bryan Q. Miller > [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## More by Donald A. Norman > [“key to winning the race is not to compete against machines but to compete with machines.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/key-to-winning-the-race-is-not-to-compete-against-machines-but-to/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [ Hypertext makes a virtue out of lack of organization, allowing ideas and thoughts to be juxtaposed at will. \[...\] The advent of hypertext is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/hypertext-makes-a-virtue-out-of-lack-of-organization-allowing-ideas/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [We delude ourselves if we believe that skilled behavior is easy, that it can come about without effort. We forget the years of tuning,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/we-delude-ourselves-if-we-believe-that-skilled-behavior-is-easy-that/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [“Could we ever switch to this or any of the many other rational systems? Unlikely: tradition is difficult to overcome.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/could-we-ever-switch-to-this-or-any-of-the-many-other-rational/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [People Propose, Science Studies, Technology Conforms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/people-propose-science-studies-technology-conforms/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [“If designers and researchers do not sometimes fail, it is a sign that they are not trying hard enough—they are not thinking the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/if-designers-and-researchers-do-not-sometimes-fail-it-is-a-sign-that/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [What makes something simple or complex? It's not the number of dials or controls or how many features it has: It is whether the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/what-makes-something-simple-or-complex-it-s-not-the-number-of-dials/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [Only the most sophisticated of beings can lie and cheat, and get away with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/only-the-most-sophisticated-of-beings-can-lie-and-cheat-and-get-away/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [Any time you see signs or labels added to a device, it is an indication of bad design: a simple lock should not require…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/any-time-you-see-signs-or-labels-added-to-a-device-it-is-an/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [Good design is also an act of communication between the designer and the user, except that all the communication has to come about by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/good-design-is-also-an-act-of-communication-between-the-designer-and/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [“We need to remove the word failure from our vocabulary, replacing it instead with learning experience. To fail is to learn: we learn more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/we-need-to-remove-the-word-failure-from-our-vocabulary-replacing-it/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [When I use a direct manipulation system whether for text editing, drawing pictures, or creating and playing games I do think of myself not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/when-i-use-a-direct-manipulation-system-whether-for-text-editing/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [“Radical innovation is what many people seek, for it is the big, spectacular form of change. But most radical ideas fail, and even those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/radical-innovation-is-what-many-people-seek-for-it-is-the-big/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [Technology usually provides a series of tradeoffs. Each asset is offset by a deficit...A major problem occurs when those who suffer from technology's defecits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/technology-usually-provides-a-series-of-tradeoffs-each-asset-is/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [Simplification is as much in the mind as it is in the device.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/simplification-is-as-much-in-the-mind-as-it-is-in-the-device/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) [Explore all 97 Donald A. Norman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) ## More Appliances quotes > [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If you want a reliable tip, drive into a town, go to the nearest appliance store and seek out the dishwasher repair man. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-q-miller/if-you-want-a-reliable-tip-drive-into-a-town-go-to-the-nearest/) Bryan Q. Miller > [The wonderful world of home appliances now makes it possible to cook indoors with charcoal and outdoors with gas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/the-wonderful-world-of-home-appliances-now-makes-it-possible-to-cook/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) > [Developed and benefited from the unsustainable patterns of production and consumption which have produced our present dilemma. It is clear that current lifestyles and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-strong/developed-and-benefited-from-the-unsustainable-patterns-of-production/) [Maurice Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-strong/) > [If you have 50 different plug types, appliances wouldn't be available and would be very expensive. But once an electric outlet becomes standardized, many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/if-you-have-50-different-plug-types-appliances-wouldn-t-be-available/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Mix salt and sand, and it shall puzzle the wisest of men, with his mere natural appliances, to separate all the grains of sand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/mix-salt-and-sand-and-it-shall-puzzle-the-wisest-of-men-with-his-mere/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [They don't make poles long enough for me want to touch Microsoft products, and I don't want any mass-marketed game-playing device or Windows appliance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/they-don-t-make-poles-long-enough-for-me-want-to-touch-microsoft/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) > [There will soon be streams of data coming from all manner of products - appliances, clothing, sporting goods, you name it. Wouldn't you rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-battelle/there-will-soon-be-streams-of-data-coming-from-all-manner-of-products/) [John Battelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-battelle/) > [As homeowners see the value of their homes decline, they become more likely to delay purchases of the big items - like automobiles, electronics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/as-homeowners-see-the-value-of-their-homes-decline-they-become-more/) [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) > [Everything has a trend to it; I don't care if it's appliances or engines. I always ask: What has a company done in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millard-drexler/everything-has-a-trend-to-it-i-don-t-care-if-it-s-appliances-or/) [Millard Drexler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millard-drexler/) > [Even one's own home is a kind of anthology of advertisers, manufacturers, motifs and presentation techniques. There's nothing 'natural' about one's home these days.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-ballard/even-one-s-own-home-is-a-kind-of-anthology-of-advertisers/) [J. G. Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-ballard/) > [I don't know how to use appliances. I mean, I use the coffee maker. But that's it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-eisenman/i-don-t-know-how-to-use-appliances-i-mean-i-use-the-coffee-maker-but/) [Peter Eisenman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-eisenman/) > [Be patient, if thou wouldst thy ends accomplish; for like patience is there no appliance effective of success, producing certainly abundant fruit of actions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-bharavi/be-patient-if-thou-wouldst-thy-ends-accomplish-for-like-patience-is/) [J. K. Bharavi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-bharavi/) > [I know a whole generation has been raised on the notion of multiculturalism; that all civilizations are just different. No! Not always. Sometimes things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-know-a-whole-generation-has-been-raised-on-the-notion-of/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“The body, I have often thought, is like a promise. You keep things in it. Those things are covert, immediate, yours. There is something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bradfield/the-body-i-have-often-thought-is-like-a-promise-you-keep-things-in-it/) [Scott Bradfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bradfield/) Browse all 114 Appliances quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Simplicity design axiom: The complexity of the information appliance is that of the task, not the tool. The technology is invisible.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Donald A. 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