In the economy of user effort, be a bargain, not a scam

· Lea Verou · Sept. 29, 2025, 5:04 p.m.
Summary
The blog post explores the principle from Alan Kay that simple things should be simple and complex things should be possible in product design. It discusses the trade-offs in usability, user effort, and overall design, using examples from various interfaces. The author suggests that user effort should be treated like currency to create delightful user experiences by minimizing friction while allowing for complexity when necessary.
AUTHOR
Sponsored
Zulip logo Zulip
Organized team chat for people who take work seriously. Topic-based threading keeps conversations focused.
Try Zulip
Become a sponsor →
BLOG POST FEATURED ON

Add this plugin to your blog