The phrase “keep it simple stupid” (K.I.S.S.) was coined by the late Kelly Johnson, lead engineer at Lockheed Skunk Works during World War II, as a way to remind his team their state-of-the-art jets still had to be repaired with basic tools. By eliminating unnecessary complexity, Skunk Works developed some of aviation’s most significant breakthroughs in record time. By adhering to the “K.I.S.S.” principle of eliminating unnecessary complexity, GforGov® government websites achieve both power and sophistication while remaining fast, easy to use, and cost-effective.
While the K.I.S.S. usability principle is commonly used by designers and developers of all types, the idea of “Keeping it Simple” has been the philosophy used by many famous inventors for hundreds of years.