Insanely Simple: The Obsession That Drives Apple's Success (English Edition)

To Steve Jobs, Simplicity was a religion. It was also a weapon. Simplicity isnt just a design principle at Appleits a value that permeates every level of the organization. The obsession with Simplicity is what separates Apple from other technology companies. Its what helped Apple recover from near death in 1997 to become the most valuable company on Earth in 2011. Thanks to Steve Jobss uncompromising ways, you can see Simplicity in everything Apple does: the way its structured, the way it innovates, and the way it speaks to its customers. Its by crushing the forces of Complexity that the company remains on its stellar trajectory. As ad agency creative director, Ken Segall played a key role in Apples resurrection, helping to create such critical marketing campaigns as Think different. By naming the iMac, he also laid the foundation for naming waves of i-products to come. Segall has a unique perspective, given his years of experience creating campaigns for other iconic tech companies, including IBM, Intel, and Dell. It was the stark contrast of Apples ways that made Segall appreciate the power of Simplicityand inspired him to help others benefit from it. In Insanely Simple, youll be a fly on the wall inside a conference room with Steve Jobs, and on the receiving end of his midnight phone calls. Youll understand how his obsession with Simplicity helped Apple perform better and faster, sometimes saving millions in the process. Youll also learn, for example, how to: Think Minimal: Distilling choices to a minimum brings clarity to a company and its customersas Jobs proved when he replaced over twenty product models with a lineup of four. Think Small: Swearing allegiance to the concept of small groups of smart people raises both morale and productivity. Think Motion: Keeping project teams in constant motion focuses creative thinking on well-defined goals and minimizes distractions. Think Iconic: Using a simple, powerful image to symbolize the benefit of a product or idea creates a deeper impression in the minds of customers. Think War: Giving yourself an unfair advantageusing every weapon at your disposalis the best way to ensure that your ideas survive unscathed. Segall brings Apples quest for Simplicity to life using fascinating (and previously untold) stories from behind the scenes. Through his insight and wit, youll discover how companies that leverage this power can stand out from competitorsand individuals who master it can become critical assets to their organizations.