“Less is More” implies that more is better. It’s not. Less is less. Less is just right. Less is better.

Signal vs Noise

Yes this is borrowed but is no less true for everyone. Lately the idea of less has been on my mind as justlucky has made it to another year. The amount of time we spend doing “extra” work instead of doing something, one thing, really well. How many clients bring a designer in on a project only to ask the designer to do something cool. Upon the first round of ideas they start asking for additional ideas like, “Lets see what this would look like if you combined options 9 and 13” or, “I would like to see what you could come up with if you did a few more!” You have one of two problems, your designs were weak or, most than likely you have a greedy client and you need to lay down the ground rules. Learn to do this by educating your client about the design process and explaining your ideas thoroughly.

Legendary designer Paul Rand stated it like this:

One of the more common problems which tends to create doubt and confusion is caused by the inexperienced and anxious executive who innocently expects, or even demands, to see not one but many solutions to a problem. These may include a number of visual and/or verbal concepts, an assortment of layouts, a variety of pictures and color schemes, as well as a choice of type styles. He needs the reassurance of numbers and the opportunity to exercise his personal preferences. He is also most likely to be the one to insist on endless revisions with unrealistic deadlines, adding to an already wasteful and time-consuming ritual. Theoretically, a great number of ideas assures a great number of choices, but such choices are essentially quantitative. This practice is as bewildering as it is wasteful. It discourages spontaneity, encourages indifference, and more often than not produces results which are neither distinguished, interesting, nor effective. In short, good ideas rarely come in bunches.

The designer who voluntarily presents his client with a batch of layouts does so not out prolificacy, but out of uncertainty or fear. He thus encourages the client to assume the role of referee. In the event of genuine need, however, the skillful designer is able to produce a reasonable number of good ideas. But quantity by demand is quite different than quantity by choice. Design is a time-consuming occupation. Whatever his working habits, the designer fills many a wastebasket in order to produce one good idea. Advertising agencies can be especially guilty in this numbers game. Bent on impressing the client with their ardor, they present a welter of layouts, many of which are superficial interpretations of potentially good ideas, or slick renderings of trite ones…

Expertise in business administration, journalism, accounting, or selling, though necessary in its place, is not expertise in problems dealing with visual appearance. The salesman who can sell you the most sophisticated computer typesetting equipment is rarely one who appreciates fine typography or elegant proportions. Actually, the plethora of bad design that we see all around us can probably be attributed as much to good salesmanship as to bad taste.

More articles by Paul Rand.