I know it's been around for a while now, and I have turned up late to the party, but what a cracking little book John Maeda's 'The Laws of Simplicity' is.
Despite being a slim volume (about 100 pages), readable in a couple of hours, it gives the impression that Maeda has been piecing together his thoughts on the subject of simplicity for years. I also think its the kind of book that deserves to be re-read every so often as one's own thoughts on the subject develop.
The whole book revolves around a fundamental question 'Where's the balance between simplicity and complexity?' and Maeda's claim that 'the simplest way to achieve simplicity is through thoughtful reduction’. But rather than me waffle-on here, I suggest you read it yourself to find out how Maeda elaborates on his claim.
The book is also highly quotable but I particularly like the following quote as it relates well to the way we approach projects at Conchango, where all departments have their role to play in achieving simplicity, directed by focused planning and research:
'Design, technology, and business work in concert to realize the final decisions that will lead to how much reduction in a product is tolerable, and how much quality it will embody in spite of its reduced state of being'.
That's a simple way of putting it at least.