In the world of business, there’s a tendency to equate growth with addition, to believe that progress means more features, more products, more options.
Yet, if you’re truly committed to meaningful innovation, you have to break free from the mindset that “more” is always better.
A study published in Nature unveiled a startling truth: people consistently overlook the power of subtractive changes. In experiment after experiment, participants were far more likely to add components—like squares on a grid or words in an essay—rather than consider what could be removed.
This is a dangerous mindset in a world where complexity is the norm. Just look around; our lives are cluttered with unnecessary features and overwhelming choices.
Take a moment to reflect on your smartphone. How many apps do you have that you rarely use?
Feature bloat is not just a product flaw; it’s a design failure. It burdens users with choices that don’t serve them.
True innovation is not just about what we add but also what we refine, subtract, multiply, or even divide.
When Apple created the iPhone, they didn’t just set out to add; they set out to rethink.
They removed the physical keyboard to open up a whole new user experience, one that felt simpler yet more powerful. By stripping down to essentials, Apple was able to add only what truly mattered, creating a product that resonated deeply with users.
This wasn’t about adding complexity; it was about honing clarity.
Balance is the cornerstone of great design. You have to ask yourself:
“What can you add that genuinely enriches the experience?
What can you remove that only distracts?”
Sometimes, the most valuable thing you can do for a product or a process is to simplify it.
This approach doesn’t just reduce clutter; it sharpens your vision and brings you closer to the core of what your customers truly need and value.
Think of companies like Ryanair, who didn’t just add routes or services but focused on dividing and simplifying the travel experience to make it affordable and efficient. They understood that by eliminating the cumbersome, they could offer something more valuable.
As you develop your product, each choice to add, subtract, multiply, or divide must be intentional.
Can you add something that enhances user appeal while removing something that complicates?
The key to true innovation lies in this duality. It’s about giving with one hand while taking away with the other.
So, how do you embrace this in practice?
Be selective with additions: Choose additions that enhance, not just enlarge. Aim to create depth in your product or service, not just breadth.
Embrace subtraction for clarity: Regularly ask yourself, “What can I remove to make the customer’s experience clearer, smoother, more direct?”
Multiply smartly: Find ways to amplify what already works well—processes, key features, or benefits—without adding unnecessary complexity.
Divide and streamline: Break down complex processes into simpler, more manageable steps. Make each step stronger and more direct.
n the end, innovation is about creating value, not just volume.
So, let’s rethink growth. Instead of defaulting to addition, let’s focus on the balance—giving and taking, expanding and refining.
Because in the end, it’s not just about making things bigger; it’s about making them better.
