When I started working with a client on their productivity tool, the brief was clear: “We want it simple.” But as I dug deeper, what they meant wasn’t simplicity—it was clarity. The product itself wasn’t simple. It had layered logic, customizable automations, and power features. Stripping it down to look “minimal” would’ve killed its core value.

So instead of fighting the complexity, I designed a clear system around it. I used progressive disclosure to reveal features only when needed, grouped actions by intent, and relied heavily on iconography plus tooltips to guide users. We didn’t remove features—we just removed friction.

Hot take: Simplicity is overrated when clarity isn’t present. Users don’t mind complexity—as long as they can understand it.