If you happen to be near Raleigh, NC on December 7th, I’ll be speaking at the local Agile developer’s group while I’m out there on business.  The title of my speech is “Simplicity Appreciation 101,” and here’s the synopsis…

Update: Due to a scheduling conflict, I was not able to deliver this talk in Raliegh, but I did present it at the Fullerton Code Camp on January 29th. The slides are available for download on the Downloads page.

Complexity is insidious.  It creeps in and takes hold and doesn’t let go.  Time and again, we see major undertakings fail due to overwhelming complexity.  That’s why proponents of Agile methodologies all tout the virtues of simplicity.  “Do the simplest thing that works.”   “YAGNI.”  “KISS it!”

But what exactly is “simplicity?”  Can it be dissected and described?  In many ways, simplicity is ethereal and personal, gleaming only in the eye of the beholder.  But, yes, it can be broken down and viewed with an objective eye.  In this presentation, we’ll explore dozens of examples of simplicity from the realms of software development, business enterprises, and life, in general.  We’ll look at specific cases of simplifications as well as tools and techniques recommended for achieving simplicity.

Our starting point will be ten observations about simplicity by an MIT professor named John Maeda.  In his book, “The Laws of Simplicity,” he describes how simplicity relates to size, time, context, emotions, trust, and more.  These revelations alone provide a solid foundation for making better decisions to achieve simplicity, but, time permitting, we’ll also consider the nuanced wisdom of Albert Einstein, Mark Twain, Winston Churchill, and others.

For further information about this event, see the group’s MeetUp page: http://www.meetup.com/agileRTP/