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The Laws of Subtraction: 6 Simple Rules for Winning in the Age of Excess Everything
6 simple principles for winning in an age of excess everything
Market leaders know that success today depends upon the ability to create social value and personal engagement through the removal from offerings of anything deemed excessive, wasteful, unnecessary, unnatural, hard-to-use, or ugly. "The Laws of Subtraction" shows how the world's most original innovators stand out in a world of overwhelming choice and feature overload by employing subtraction and minimalism to create the most effective and engaging consumer experiences.
Matthew E. May is the author of three award-winning books: "The Shibumi Strategy," "In Pursuit of Elegance," and "The Elegant Solution." A popular speaker, creativity coach, and innovation advisor, he is a regular contributor to the American Express OPEN Forum Idea Hub and the founder of Edit Innovation, an ideas agency based in Los Angeles.
Market leaders know that success today depends upon the ability to create social value and personal engagement through the removal from offerings of anything deemed excessive, wasteful, unnecessary, unnatural, hard-to-use, or ugly. "The Laws of Subtraction" shows how the world's most original innovators stand out in a world of overwhelming choice and feature overload by employing subtraction and minimalism to create the most effective and engaging consumer experiences.
Matthew E. May is the author of three award-winning books: "The Shibumi Strategy," "In Pursuit of Elegance," and "The Elegant Solution." A popular speaker, creativity coach, and innovation advisor, he is a regular contributor to the American Express OPEN Forum Idea Hub and the founder of Edit Innovation, an ideas agency based in Los Angeles.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published October 2, 2012
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732 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 19, 2013
Matthew E May’s The Laws of Subtraction draws its inspiration from the well of design and exemplifies simplicty.
May defines simplicity like this: “This is the art of subtraction: when you remove just the right thing in just the right way, something good usually happens.”
The structure of the book is the six laws he’s identified: 1) Empty space can be more powerful than what’s visible; 2) The simplest rules create the most effective experience; 3) Limiting information engages the imagination; 4) Place constraints on what you’re seeking to achieve to stimulate creativity; 5) “Break” away from the usual way of working on problems; 6) Replace frenetic activity with daydreaming.
His approach to the topic is refreshing and practical. Let me paint two pictures:
My housemate is exploring minimalism and his tiny room is free of clutter.
My Grandma, on the other hand, stopped cleaning her 4-bedroom, 2-storey house in the 1990s and stopped throwing things out in the 1960s.
I’m putting May’s laws into practice. Each room has a single purpose, such as the kitchen’s place for food preparation and eating light meals. Anything unrelated is removed.
If your life is full of clutter or complications, use the six laws of subtraction to get unstuck.
May defines simplicity like this: “This is the art of subtraction: when you remove just the right thing in just the right way, something good usually happens.”
The structure of the book is the six laws he’s identified: 1) Empty space can be more powerful than what’s visible; 2) The simplest rules create the most effective experience; 3) Limiting information engages the imagination; 4) Place constraints on what you’re seeking to achieve to stimulate creativity; 5) “Break” away from the usual way of working on problems; 6) Replace frenetic activity with daydreaming.
His approach to the topic is refreshing and practical. Let me paint two pictures:
My housemate is exploring minimalism and his tiny room is free of clutter.
My Grandma, on the other hand, stopped cleaning her 4-bedroom, 2-storey house in the 1990s and stopped throwing things out in the 1960s.
I’m putting May’s laws into practice. Each room has a single purpose, such as the kitchen’s place for food preparation and eating light meals. Anything unrelated is removed.
If your life is full of clutter or complications, use the six laws of subtraction to get unstuck.
November 21, 2012
I am a big fan of May's previous works. I'd put In Pursuit of Elegance: Why the Best Ideas Have Something Missing on my top-100 list. After dabbling in business fiction in his last book, May is back with a more conventional business text--and he doesn't disappoint.
In an era of feature-creep and superfluous functionality, May shows how it's often best to do nothing or remove things. May's examples are fascinating, from the WSJ artist who creates those funky drawings to the design of streets and urban areas to Albert Einsten. Backed by solid research in neuroscience and psychology, May's central premise hits home with me: less is more.
Over the last few years, I've become an Apple convert because PCs and many applications tend to include too many "features." Something tells me that May would wholeheartedly agree.
Some of the 50 essays from thought leaders were more interesting than others. Truth be told, I would have preferred 50 additional pages of insights from the author himself. I just like the way the guy thinks and writes.
I highly recommend the book and look forward to more from May.
In an era of feature-creep and superfluous functionality, May shows how it's often best to do nothing or remove things. May's examples are fascinating, from the WSJ artist who creates those funky drawings to the design of streets and urban areas to Albert Einsten. Backed by solid research in neuroscience and psychology, May's central premise hits home with me: less is more.
Over the last few years, I've become an Apple convert because PCs and many applications tend to include too many "features." Something tells me that May would wholeheartedly agree.
Some of the 50 essays from thought leaders were more interesting than others. Truth be told, I would have preferred 50 additional pages of insights from the author himself. I just like the way the guy thinks and writes.
I highly recommend the book and look forward to more from May.
May 3, 2020
Less is more...
August 3, 2013
# The Laws of Subtraction
This was a useful book. It establishes a language and a framework for adding by subtraction.
My perspective on minimalism was strongly influenced by the book "Less and More". In short the theory is that simplicity is an outcome achieved when both form and function is reduced to the essential.
The opening "nugget" that frames The Laws of Subtraction:
>> Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious and adding the meaningful.
Works together with this view of simplicity and guides the path ahead. The laws are ambiguously worded:
1. What isn't there can often trump what is.
2. The simplest rules create the most effective experience.
3. Limiting information engages the imagination.
4. Creativity thrives under intelligent constraints.
5. Break is the important part of breakthrough
6. Doing something isn't always better than doing nothing.
Interestingly, he doesn't structure his book explicitly this way, but the first three arguments are about the procedural rules for how to effectively apply 'subtraction' as a part of the design toolkit. The last three laws are about how to apply the theory of 'subtraction' to prepare yourself for innovation.
While the principles are presented here as laws. May does little to try and tackle the laws of subtraction from any specific domain, nor does he try and present these as tried and true laws. As a systems designer the implications for design are sometimes clear, but I felt May sometimes got lost in trying to write this book as universal laws rather than laws of business, design OR life.
-- Below are my notes on the essence of the first three laws, as reading them, you will still need to step away and decompress to understand what is there. --
The first concept borrows a line of thinking with architecture. Louis Kahn offered "Architecture is the thoughtful making of space" As well as “Being an architect isn't only about construction, it's about creating wide spaces with small spaces.” Subtraction is the tool that allows you to design negative space, and often negative space is the space that matters.
The second treatise is that simple rules can be powerful. Anatol Rapoport's famous "tit for tat" strategy (as mentioned in Max McKeown's adaptability) highlights how some of the most powerful solutions to complex problems can evolve from simple rules. In this case knowing what to subtract is simple-- anything which does not support the argument of the solution space. From (Andy Fitzgerald's http://www.slideshare.net/andybywire/...).
The third is straight forward, but is simply a reminder by subtracting you allow the reader freedom to become co-author or co-creator by engaging their mind.
This was a useful book. It establishes a language and a framework for adding by subtraction.
My perspective on minimalism was strongly influenced by the book "Less and More". In short the theory is that simplicity is an outcome achieved when both form and function is reduced to the essential.
The opening "nugget" that frames The Laws of Subtraction:
>> Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious and adding the meaningful.
Works together with this view of simplicity and guides the path ahead. The laws are ambiguously worded:
1. What isn't there can often trump what is.
2. The simplest rules create the most effective experience.
3. Limiting information engages the imagination.
4. Creativity thrives under intelligent constraints.
5. Break is the important part of breakthrough
6. Doing something isn't always better than doing nothing.
Interestingly, he doesn't structure his book explicitly this way, but the first three arguments are about the procedural rules for how to effectively apply 'subtraction' as a part of the design toolkit. The last three laws are about how to apply the theory of 'subtraction' to prepare yourself for innovation.
While the principles are presented here as laws. May does little to try and tackle the laws of subtraction from any specific domain, nor does he try and present these as tried and true laws. As a systems designer the implications for design are sometimes clear, but I felt May sometimes got lost in trying to write this book as universal laws rather than laws of business, design OR life.
-- Below are my notes on the essence of the first three laws, as reading them, you will still need to step away and decompress to understand what is there. --
The first concept borrows a line of thinking with architecture. Louis Kahn offered "Architecture is the thoughtful making of space" As well as “Being an architect isn't only about construction, it's about creating wide spaces with small spaces.” Subtraction is the tool that allows you to design negative space, and often negative space is the space that matters.
The second treatise is that simple rules can be powerful. Anatol Rapoport's famous "tit for tat" strategy (as mentioned in Max McKeown's adaptability) highlights how some of the most powerful solutions to complex problems can evolve from simple rules. In this case knowing what to subtract is simple-- anything which does not support the argument of the solution space. From (Andy Fitzgerald's http://www.slideshare.net/andybywire/...).
The third is straight forward, but is simply a reminder by subtracting you allow the reader freedom to become co-author or co-creator by engaging their mind.
January 12, 2013
There are books out there that inspire you, that upon putting down the book, you see things in a different light or you want to just go out there and change the way you do things. Matthew May's The Laws of Subtraction is one of those books. Putting the book down, I wanted to start thinking about how I could Simplify, Simplify, Simplify - whether it's more micro issues like presentations (think the Pecha Kucha concept), to things like project management (putting in intelligent constraints to spur creativity) and the really big stuff like how we live our lives (re: Roger Martin's discussion on thin slicing). Oh I admit, sometime that burst of inspired motivation fades and you fall back into the old routines and rituals. But that initial heady rush, that sense of purpose and insight you experience at the beginning is exhilarating.
May lays out 6 Rules in total - #1 What Isn't There Can Often Trump What Is; #2 The Simplest Rules Create the Most Effective Experience; #3 Limiting Information Engages the Imagination; #4 Creativity Thrives Under Intelligent Constraints; #5 Break Is the Important Part of Breakthrough; and #6 Doing Something Isn't Always Better Than Doing Nothing. The rules aren't all created equally. Some are explained and laid out more convincingly than others. Generally, I found the first half of the book a better read, more tightly argued, with better anecdotes.
But the bottomline is, The Laws of Subtraction is just a fun read. Even if you don't end up overhauling your approach to life/work, punchily-written anecdotes of Lockheed's Skunkworks, how Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham got the PechaKucha Nights concept off the ground, the Mars Pathfinder project, how the Lexus was designed, the magic of comics and how the real action and story takes place in the gutter, the space between the frames, the Japanese Zen concept of "ma", make this an absorbing read.
May lays out 6 Rules in total - #1 What Isn't There Can Often Trump What Is; #2 The Simplest Rules Create the Most Effective Experience; #3 Limiting Information Engages the Imagination; #4 Creativity Thrives Under Intelligent Constraints; #5 Break Is the Important Part of Breakthrough; and #6 Doing Something Isn't Always Better Than Doing Nothing. The rules aren't all created equally. Some are explained and laid out more convincingly than others. Generally, I found the first half of the book a better read, more tightly argued, with better anecdotes.
But the bottomline is, The Laws of Subtraction is just a fun read. Even if you don't end up overhauling your approach to life/work, punchily-written anecdotes of Lockheed's Skunkworks, how Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham got the PechaKucha Nights concept off the ground, the Mars Pathfinder project, how the Lexus was designed, the magic of comics and how the real action and story takes place in the gutter, the space between the frames, the Japanese Zen concept of "ma", make this an absorbing read.
April 28, 2013
This book suffers from the affliction it's earnestly trying to help us avoid: excess. It contains some great stories, some useful techniques, a scant handful of useful personal essays from other contributors, but they're buried in flabby prose. I'm guessing it would be perfect at around 80pp: perfect Kindle-single length. Skim for ideas and resources, then go to the primary material that interests you.
July 18, 2013
Book has 6 chapters - 6 laws of subtraction - so I read it over the course of 6 months. That is a long time to read one book.
I appreciate the time, thought, because I very much appreciate the thoughtfulness this book put in me and the insights that I hope I will carry and integrate and implement.
I appreciate the time, thought, because I very much appreciate the thoughtfulness this book put in me and the insights that I hope I will carry and integrate and implement.
November 20, 2012
One of those books that will change your whole strategy of looking at things in your life. Minimalist life style in personal and professional life is the way to go.
October 4, 2013
The world may be complex, loud and cluttered, but your life doesn’t have to be.
November 17, 2013
You don't have to do everything for the user.
They can be engaged through filling in the (artfully subtracted) blanks.
They can be engaged through filling in the (artfully subtracted) blanks.
February 12, 2014
Basic rules for management that very few follow. 6 rules presented on a different perspective.
December 15, 2014
Thought-provoking at times but sadly not as good as his other books.
July 5, 2016
It works. Didn't need excerpts
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews