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Insanely Great
I just finished reading Ken Segall’s “Insanely Simple” book that came out about two weeks ago. I have to say this has been one of my favorite books in a long time. Ken worked for Chiat Day who was part of the team responsible for some of Apple’s best advertising.
For anyone who thinks this book is just another book about Apple - you are couldn’t be more incorrect. This is a book about marketing and design, and how Apple uses it to make a better expereince. There are some great personal stories of Ken’s interactions with Steve included as well that really give you more of an insight into how he thought and his rational behind his decitions.
Ken also provides examples for comparision from Dell and Intel. He was a team member on those accounts as well. Some of the comparisons are brutal. While Apple could make a decision on the spot in a meeting one of the other companies might have to send it to committe and test it and get user feedback before there was any movement forward.
The premise that surrounds the whole books is this:
“People prefer Simplicity”
One of the things that I think confuses people is that because something is simple it should be easier. This is not the case at all. In fact it is usually quite the opposite.
Simple can be harder than complex. You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end, because once you get there you can move mountains. - Steve Jobs
If you are interested in marketing, Apple, design or simplicity this is a must read book.
Each chapter breaks down a concept into the smallest form. Think Brutal, Think Small, Think Minimal for example. The last chapter give a great summary of all guiding pricinples throughout the book. I highly recommend this its a fantastic read.
