Simplicity In Design  

In short, people love highly functional technologies. What they don’t like is the need to have a technical degree to operate them.

Simplicity is on a rage these days. And it isn’t limited to Minimalist Design. It’s about seeing things from the user’s perspective and using this insight to design products that help them achieve their goal.

‘Simplicity to Use’ is one of the key reasons behind the success of some widely-used products created by the most successful companies. It is what makes some companies and their products/services perform better than others.

When you ask someone why they like their Apple products so much, they usually answer: “Because it’s simple to use!” When you enquire further, they can’t explain how? For them, “It just works.” Simplicity is the intersection of functionality with intelligent design. It ensures UX is intuitive and easy.

There is absolutely no shortage of technology in the AV industry to choose from. The dilemma lies in the complication of using them. First, you have to figure out what gadgets you need and then how to connect them so that they magically come to life. And if the devices you got, turn out to be designed not to work or function together, god help us!

The key to inculcating simplicity in AV designs is to restrict and bury features that are not required. The functions & features your user wants should be right in front of their eyes, rather than buried in confusing menus.

Start by getting into the headspace of your user to understand the common issues which might cause individuals to stress while operating the AV Systems.

Secondly, don’t try to fit in all the necessary functions into one device, instead of designing multiple devices for multiple tasks that would work together seamlessly. Simplicity doesn’t always have to mean fewer devices.

When you build a theater with projectors, lighting, and video, your goal shouldn’t be to keep as few hardware components as possible. The simplest solution to this is to find individual devices that are well suited for each task and are designed to work together smoothly:

• A projector with excellent specifications,
• A lighting controller,
• An HD video player,
• A touch panel interface to control them
• A control system that binds all of it together.

The component count may get higher, but this clear division of tasks gets much more straightforward to manage than a cluttered system.

Another practice to simplify the use of modern AV systems is to leverage consumer technologies like smartphones, tablets, and laptops. On their own, they are nowhere near. However, these, when used properly, can be a substitute for the gear you use to implement professional AV systems.

The real goal of simplicity is cost savings and enhanced user experiences. It results in lesser problems during installation & use, easier long-term maintenance, and shorter setup-time.

So, remember the KISS Principle – Keep it Simple, Stupid! When you design or get someone to set up your next AV system. Team up with experienced vendors and integrators, and use high– reliable quality products that function well together.