The Mind's Shortcuts · principle
Occam's Razor
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When two designs solve the problem equally well, choose the simpler one. Every extra element, option, and flourish has a cost — it competes for attention, adds cognitive load, and gives one more thing to misread or maintain. Good interfaces are ruthless about removing anything that isn't earning its place, so the essential stands out instead of drowning in noise.
Where it comes from
The 'razor' is named for the 14th-century English friar William of Ockham, who argued you shouldn't multiply entities beyond necessity — prefer the explanation with the fewest assumptions. It began as a principle of philosophy and science (the simplest theory that fits the facts wins), and designers borrowed it wholesale: among interfaces that work, the one with the fewest moving parts is usually best. The metaphor of a razor is literal — you shave away everything unnecessary.
Origin: William of Ockham's 14th-century principle of parsimony
In the wild
- Google's homepage
One logo, one search box. Everything non-essential was removed, so the single decision is unmissable.
- Aesthetic-minimalist heuristic
Nielsen's heuristic #8: interfaces shouldn't contain information that is irrelevant or rarely needed — every extra unit competes with the relevant ones.
- Distraction-free modes
Writing and reading apps offer a 'focus' view that strips chrome down to just the content.
Further reading
Don't just read it — feel it.
Play the 3-minute game and let your own reactions prove the law.
Play the lesson