Why do people buy an expensive, complicated toaster when a simpler, less-expensive toaster would work just as well? Why all the buttons and controls on steering wheels and rearview mirrors? Because these are the features that people believe they want. They make a difference at the time of sale, which is when such features matter most. Why do we deliberately build things that confuse the people who use them? Answer: because the people want the features. Because the so-called demand for simplicity is a myth whose time has passed, if it ever existed.
This quote challenges the common assumption that simplicity is always preferable in product design. Often, designers and manufacturers add complex features and multiple controls not because users necessarily need or want them, but because marketing strategies position these features as desirable or innovative. This underscores a fundamental insight: people are attracted to products with apparent added value, even if those features complicate the use or increase cost without improving basic functionality....