Make It Easy

What Square Cash is doing right.

Good design is simple. David Lewis, a world renowned industrial designer once said, “Truly elegant design incorporates top-notch functionality into a simple, uncluttered form.” Good design simplifies an action and makes it easier for the users.

That is why I love Square Cash. I use the iPhone app all the time, whether it’s sending money to family members, or splitting a tab at a restaurant. Square does a great job of making it easy to do these things. There are other alternatives, but I don’t think it gets any easier or simpler than Cash. No need to sign up or create an account. They have removed all barriers and have made it as simple as possible. Just type in the amount of money, then either press Request or Send.

The design of the iPhone app is simple, uncluttered, and easy to figure out. No guess work of what you have to do to send or receive money.

I did some research to find out more about Square’s design. I read that in 2012, Square bought out 80/20, a top design firm in New York. Here’s what the founders of 80/20 had to say.

At 80/20, we’ve been fortunate to work on amazing products and platforms. In every project, we’ve started with the belief that the best design gets out of the user’s way and that you can craft unforgettable user experiences by keeping things simple and obsessing over the details.

Keep Things Simple

To make things easier for your users, you’re going to have to keep your design as simple as possible. I’m not saying that you have to remove every stroke, shadow or gradient, but rather remove needless complexity. Why? Because simple is clear. It’s understandable. Simple allows the user to focus on the task at hand.

Obsess Over the Details

Charles Eames said, “The details are not the details. They make the design.” Focus on the little details. The reason why Square Cash is such a pleasure to use, is because they’ve thought about the little things; from the green background color which invokes security, to the subtle animations when you type on the screen. The simpler a design, the more the little details stand out. That is why you have to obsess over the details.

Learn from Square. Keep things simple and obsess over the little details. Your products will be easier to use and your users will be thankful for it.

Bonus: If you don’t already have Square Cash, head on over to their website and type in your email address. They’ll send you a dollar.

This post was also published on my blog.