10 ways to apply the laws of simplicity to no-code development

No-code by nature strives towards making processes accessible and efficient. At Triggre, we embrace simplicity at the core of our platform’s design. This approach is inspired by John Maeda’s Laws of Simplicity (a highly recommended and universal read).

Here is how these principles can be embedded in the context of a no-code platform, based on the example of the Triggre Designer:

1. No fault paths  

Users should never hit dead-ends. Every step you take within the platform leads to progress, eliminating frustration and ensuring that every action is productive. Once you create something with our wizard, it’s ready to go and works seamlessly.

2. Less is more  

Avoiding clutter with unnecessary buttons and options is key. Unlike traditional integrated development environments (IDEs), Triggre provides a clean and intuitive interface, reducing complexity and making it easier for users to focus on what matters.

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3. Functional focus  

Every action in the Triggre Designer is geared towards building your application. We eliminate distractions by not allowing non-functional activities, like excessive documentation within the design. This keeps the process streamlined and ensures that all efforts directly contribute to your application.

4. Subconscious animations  

Animations in Triggre serve a purpose. For instance, when you save an item, the dialog shrinks towards that item, providing a subtle yet clear visual cue. Similarly, canceling a dialog results in a dissolving effect, reinforcing the action in an intuitive way.

5. Functional colors and contrasts  

Colors and contrasts in Triggre aren’t just for aesthetics—they’re functional. Every color choice is made to enhance usability and ensure that users can easily distinguish and interact with different elements.

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6. Focused workflows  

Our platform emphasizes focused workflows, especially evident in our wizards. By guiding users to work on one thing at a time, we prevent overload and improve efficiency, helping users stay on track and achieve their goals faster.

7. Single methods  

There’s only one way to perform each task in Triggre. This avoids confusion and ensures consistency. For example, unlike Windows 10 with its multiple settings menus, Triggre provides a single, straightforward method for tasks like page creation, making the process simple and reliable.

8. Explicit functionality  

Triggre avoids hidden functionalities. Every feature and option is explicit, ensuring users always understand what they can do and where to find it. This transparency prevents confusion and enhances the user experience.

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9. Familiar concepts  

We leverage familiar concepts across our platform. By maintaining consistency in our editors and tools, users can easily transfer their knowledge and skills from one part of the platform to another, reducing the learning curve and enhancing productivity.

10. Minimal viable features  

Triggre focuses on delivering minimal viable features quickly and effectively. By releasing essential features first and expanding based on user feedback, we meet demands promptly and ensure continuous improvement. For example, our document editor initially supported tables, addressing a key need, with additional features continuously added.  

These ten principles ensure that no-code development remains accessible, efficient, and user-friendly, enabling anyone to build powerful business applications without getting overwhelmed by technical complexity.