The Art of Simplicity (Part 2)

Most of the time, we never realize why some concepts are simple until we think about them. Just consider this example. Have you ever wondered why manholes are round in shape? We could have made them in many other shapes, say squares or real artistic ones.

Not many people had an answer when Venkat asked this question to the audience. For shapes other than round, there is a greater chance for its lid to fall into the hole. But with a round lid, we don’t face this problem. It can also be easily moved by rolling. Also, at the end of a long tiring day, the workman doesn't have to worry in which direction the lid has to be placed to close the hole properly. See how a very simple design helped in solving many issues that could have happened.

Have you ever given a thought why Mona Lisa is considered to be a masterpiece? Along with the fact that it was painted by the famous artist, Leonardo Da Vinci, it is simplicity that always attracts people towards it.

The essence of this keynote was this: Never complicate things too much.

He concluded the session with a very nice story based on Richard Feynman’s quote...

• • • 

Once, I was giving lectures to a bunch of students in the college. I was teaching the same stuff from past one decade. But, for the first time, something strange happened. All the students had nothing to say, after an hour long lecture , other than-

“Sir, we didn't understand anything!”

I was puzzled. I didn't know what had happened. I went back home. I kept  thinking and thinking about it. Then, I went back to read the same topic.

Slowly and surprisingly, I started understanding better. I uncovered many aspects and by the end of  that night, I got a clear picture about the entire concept.

Next day, I went to the same class and started with the same lecture, but with a new insight. Within five to ten minutes, I could make out that every student understood the concept clearly. All students were happy and they exclaimed-

“Sir, why couldn't we understand this yesterday? It is really very easy. ”

“It is simple. I hadn't really understood what I was teaching till yesterday. But now I know.”

• • • 

- summary of the keynote, The Art of Simplicity, by Dr. Venkat Subramaniam (Agile Kerala 2013)


Thanks to +Vaishnavi M K, +Arun Prakash and +Rohit Kumar for your suggestions and proofreading.. :-)