Abstract

The goal of this thesis is to promote and validate the value of simplicity in designing software solutions. It argues that technological momentum (of connected microchip enabled devices and services), business challenges (of finding relevant product/market fit), and human psychology (of ownership and loss­-aversion) contribute to a problematic complexity in systems and offerings that degrade their value, performance, and user experience. In response, a design approach of prototyping and learning is proposed to systematically reduce complexity and simplify the design of software solutions, thereby increasing their value and overall performance.