Why
Oversimplification is Bad for Entrepreneurs, Consumers, and Society As A Whole
Technological
innovation has enabled us so much convenience compared to ever before. Let’s
face it; last millennium, entrepreneurs used letters to communicate their
business deals. Now that we live in the digital era, and that almost everyone
owns a mobile communication device, that’s not the case anymore: business
communications are far more likely to be reached via Email, or otherwise,
instant messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and the like.
Over the last
couple of decades, the advancement that we are experiencing has evolved beyond
our belief and has made our lives different by transforming the way we live and
do work. Interestingly enough, as we live in a time now that the advent of
technology has led us to advancing in some aspects of our lives,
simultaneously, it is also taking major steps backward in others – that is – to
oversimplify things during the journey to success.
Do you think
every successful individuals that we know today, like Richard Branson, Bill
Gates, and Steve Jobs, became an overnight success for their entrepreneurial
journey? Hardly! To crush the myth of overnight success in business, there is
no shortcut to business success. At most times, oversimplification could make
things worse. Therefore, following are some words of warning by Chris Myers,
the co-founder and CEO of BodeTree.com, to those who choose to do so.
________________________________________
Beware the Path
of Least Resistance
Entrepreneurship is about connecting with people and understanding their motivations and desires. As a result, the products and services produced by the entrepreneurial class are a reflection of the times.
We live in an
age where attention spans are short, and instant gratification is an
expectation. That’s why, as entrepreneurs, we’re taught to embrace simplicity.
The simpler the product, the easier it is to get people to adopt and utilize
it. This, in and of itself, is not a bad thing. As da Vinci said, “Simplicity
is the ultimate sophistication.” But is it possible to take this sentiment too
far? At what point does the quest for simplification of products, stories, and
experiences become damaging?
At some point,
the embrace of simplicity veers into dangerous territory. Complexity is viewed
as the enemy, and people become addicted to convenient, oversimplified thought
processes. When this shift occurs, everyone suffers.
Simplification
can Lead to Intellectual Laziness for Entrepreneurs
Startups live
and die by growth. Nine times out of ten, if you’re not growing, your days are
numbered. The incredible pressure to grow constantly influences the decisions
that entrepreneurs make, for better or worse.
One easy path
to quicker adoption and growth is to simplify processes. Modern users want
products that are like magic. Added work is looked down upon. As a result,
entrepreneurs like myself face the temptation to constantly dumb-down messaging,
product features, and design.
The problem, of
course, is that not everything in life lends itself to such dumbing down. Take
my company, BodeTree, for example. We work to make financial management simple
and easy for the average small business owner. However, finance is inherently
complex, and there is only so far we can go to make it accessible for the
average consumer. In the past, we’ve held off on producing new features or
going into more depth for fear of alienating our customers. However, in doing
so, we’ve done them a disservice by sacrificing long-term value for short-term
gains.
Simplification
can Limit Growth for Consumers
What forms as a
result is a vicious cycle for both entrepreneurs and their customers. However,
it is the consumer who pays the price for these simplifications and shortcuts.
We have faced this challenge at BodeTree many times.
We know finance is complex so we’ve simplified many of the processes required to maintain up-to-date and organized finances. However, when it comes to financial education, simplification can be difficult, if not damaging.
We produce a
large amount of educational content for our customers within the app itself and
my team and I have long understood the need for including technical content as
well. But our internal usage statistics tell us that people don’t spend much
time reading anything that is perceived as overly complex.
The challenge
of sharing digestible content while also delivering value to our customers is
an ongoing struggle. We know that by giving into temptation to oversimplify our
educational content, we do our customers a disservice. The path of least
resistance stymies growth for the very people we want to help most.
It Stunts us as
a Society
As a people, we
have become so accustomed to the push-button conveniences of modern life that
we now crave it in all things. As a result, we’re rapidly transforming into a
society that is crass, shallow, and often oblivious. Whether we’re talking
about the conflict inherent in trying to oversimplify product design, or
something more important like foreign policy, we are increasingly ruled by
laziness and emotion. This path is easier, but it is ultimately hollow.
Never mistake
simplicity for elegance. All of us, regardless of our calling, must learn to
once again embrace deep thinking, complexity, and nuance and reject the
temptation to oversimplify. It’s time that we embrace a higher calling and push
ourselves to thrive in a complex world.
____________________
Image Source:
(1)
weknowmemes.com
(2)
under30ceo.com
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