DMI Newsletter

DMI Hosts John Maeda at MassArt

DMI welcomed John Maeda, E. Rudge and Nancy Allen Professor of Media Arts & Sciences of The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, for a lecture and book signing on September 29. A long time friend of DMI, John shared insight from his new book: The Laws of Simplicity – Simplicity: Design, Technology, Life.

John's lecture drew a large crowd of designers, students, and educators to MassArt's Tower Auditorium. After his lecture and book signing, John met with DMI's graduate students for an inspiring discussion of new media, life, and simplicity.

What are the Laws of Simplicity?
John suggests ten:

• Law 1: Reduce – The simplest way to achieve simplicity is through thoughtful reduction.
• Law 2: Organize – Organization makes a system of many appear fewer.
• Law 3: Time – Savings in time feel like simplicity.
• Law 4: Learn – Knowledge makes everything simpler.
• Law 5: Differences – Simplicity and complexity need each other.
• Law 6: Context – What lies in the periphery of simplicity is definitely not peripheral.
• Law 7: Emotion – More emotions are better than less.
• Law 8: Trust – In simplicity we trust.
• Law 9: Failure – Some things can never be made simple.
• Law 10: The One – Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious, and adding the meaningful.

For More Information on John's new book:

Visit the Laws of Simplicity web site:
http://lawsofsimplicity.com/

John also hosts a Simplicity blog here:
http://weblogs.media.mit.edu/SIMPLICITY/