Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

This is a question we should constantly ask. Try the simplest thing to be, to do, to have.

Several years ago, I posed a question to participants at a conference session I was facilitating. The design problem was about storing information from a business. I wanted a design of a system that would store a year’s worth of information from a business I described.

One team of designers worked for one of the world’s largest commercial database companies (I won’t give the name). They designed an elegant system from their experience in information management systems. The other design teams had similar results.

Most were surprised when I suggested a card table. A basic card table would hold all the paper generated by the business in one year. Many “but, but, but…” questions came. I showed them how the simple card table would meet all the requirements I stated. One person in the room added that a spot on the floor would meet the requirements. Aha! Even simpler!

How simple can we be? Do we need a database? Can a spreadsheet do as well? Can a word processor do as well? Can a clipboard, pencil, and ten sheets of paper do as well? How about ripping the pages out of a calendar and taping them to the wall? But, but, but…

Of course we can use things that are more complex and have a greater ability to expand to greater horizons and all that. Is that necessary? Is that really necessary? Will this problem be here in ten years and fill all those horizons?

In my experience, the answer is no. The problem will go away and a different problem will arise. That grand solution won’t be used. Simple. Inexpensive. Quick. Move on.

At least consider the simple.