If you’ve followed the evolution of my thinking through the series of books I’ve written, you know that elegance—defined as the ability to achieve the maximum effect with minimum means, and characterized by the presence of both uncommon simplicity and surprising impact—is my root cause.

Elegant solutions are identifiable when some degree of four qualities is present: symmetry, seduction, subtraction, and sustainability. Elegance often manifests itself in something apparently incomplete and imperfect in design, in turn requiring the user or viewer to engage with the idea fully in order to complete the offer, idea, or rendering.

It’s a tough and elusive concept to get. Still, although it’s called different things in different cultures, elegance is a universal quest in nearly every domain of human activity—which is why I’m fascinated by it. It’s also why elegant solutions seem to be so few and far between. But if you know where to look and what to look for, you’d be surprised at just how many there really are. I’m happy to report that their number is increasing.

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