Simple solutions are deceptive. They look obvious in hindsight but rarely feel that way when you're in the thick of a problem. Occam’s Razor, a principle that suggests the simplest explanation is usually correct, captures this idea well. Simplicity isn’t about oversimplification; it’s about avoiding unnecessary assumptions and complexity. And while it’s a guideline, not a law, its relevance to engineering is clear.
Why? Because complexity is costly. Complex solutions take longer to build and rely on more assumptions. More assumptions mean a higher risk of failure. Simple solutions, by contrast, reduce the surface area for errors and are faster to develop, scale, and maintain.
This applies across engineering, both hardware and software. Systems with fewer moving parts are easier to debug, upgrade, and adapt.
Getting to simple is not easy. Engineers love to over-engineer. The urge to add features for the sake of “better functionality” is misguided. When you face a new problem, there will be unknowns, and the simplest solution won’t be obvious. That’s okay. The process is iterative: build something, test it, and learn from the results. With each iteration, strip away the unnecessary. Simplify.
The Pareto Principle can help. Focus on the 20% of effort that solves 80% of the problem. Ignore the urge to perfect everything on the first try. Progress beats perfection.