Sign in Subscribe
Blog

The KISS principle

We should all apply the KISS principle to everything in our lives

Sebastien Dubois

Sebastien Dubois

— 7 min read
The KISS principle
Simplicity is key in life. Image generated using DALL-E

Introduction

In the software engineering world, the KISS principle is widely known. Actually, it comes from the U.S. Navy, and was coined by Engineer Kelly Johnson. It’s an acronym that stands for “Keep it simple, stupid!”. The idea behind it is to keep things as simple as possible, for as long as possible. This principle applies to many things in life, including Projects, Personal Organization, Processes, and Systems.

Simplicity should be a key goal when designing systems of all sorts. As Leonardo Da Vinci beautifully put it:

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication — Leonardo Da Vinci

This content is part of the Knowledge Worker Kit.

Knowledge Worker Kit and community (BETA)
Who is this for?You are a Knowledge Worker or Lifelong LearnerYou feel disorganized, unproductive, or overwhelmedYou don’t know how to go to the next levelYou want to learn from someone who’s always on top of thingsI have a proven track record of delivering at work and with my side projects. I have worked as a software developer, team leader, project manager, IT architect, information management specialist, CTO, founder, coach, and solopreneur. I have also written and published 3 books, 300+ articles, courses, YouTube videos, digital products, manage communities, and more! And I did it all with a busy life and kids. My personal system works and helps me achieve my goals consistently.You want a solid system that scalesBeing a Knowledge Worker today is much more challenging than it ever was. Getting started ain’t easy, and there are many traps to fall into. Spare yourself some time and benefit from my experience and battle-tested system. I’ll share everything I know with you: my approach, my systems, my routines, templates, guidance, and more! My mission is to help you avoid the pitfalls of Knowledge Work and empower you through technology.After you finish exploring the guide, you’ll have:Clarity in your life and an obvious path forwardSolid habits, routines, and systemsClear ideas about how to “manage” your careerAn effective approach to learning new thingsSolid knowledge management and personal organization systemsKnowledge about how to organize, plan, control, and manage projects (large and small!)A toolkit to prioritize workA system to manage your tasks at scaleEffective means to focus your attention and manage your timeWork methods that will propel your career forwardWhat is this?I’ve been passionate about information, knowledge management, learning, personal organization, PKM, and productivity for more than 20 years. As an author, blogger, knowledge worker, entrepreneur, coach, and father of 3 kids, I needed effective solutions to be and stay organized, focused, and productive. The Knowledge Worker Kit includes everything I know about these topics, and more!What’s included?WARNING: The Knowledge Worker Kit is in BETA. The content will be added and expanded over time. If you buy access now, you’ll benefit from the lowest price. The product is already available so that I can find early adopters and get as much feedback as possible in order to make it great for everyone.If you buy access to the Knowledge Worker Kit, you’ll get:The user guideAll the templates and guidanceLifetime access to the private community for support and knowledge sharingLifetime access to all community events (meetups, workshops, knowledge-sharing sessions, invited talks, etc)Ask Me Anything (AMA) Q&As with meIn addition, you’ll also get free access to all future updates. Over time, I’ll continue expanding the kit with new ideas, techniques, systems, templates, and more!What’s in the user guide?The user guide is a growing and evergreen knowledge base. It includes detailed explanations covering a wide range of topics that all Knowledge workers should explore:01. Clarity: values, behaviors, goals, non-goals, priorities, and intentions02. Habits, routines, systems, processes and methods03. Career Management and Anticipation04. Learning05. Projects Knowledge Management and Journaling06. Projects Organization07. Planning and Prioritization08. Task Management09. Focus, Attention, Time Management and Action10. Personal Development11. Control: periodic reviews, progress tracking, course-adjustment12. Personal Organization13. WorkThe user guide is a Notion space including tons of articles, how-to guides, guidance, and links to useful templates and resources.You will get to explore the content at your own pace, and to focus on what is useful to you right now, as each section is actionable on its own.Evergreen ContentThe Knowledge Worker Toolkit is going to expand over time. Day after day, week after week. Buy it once, and you will have access to all future updates.Overview of the main topics01. ClarityThis part explores key elements that help bring clarity to one’s life:NeedsValuesPrinciplesGoalsPrioritiesEach of those is important to know what matters, what has value, and what to focus on.02. Habits, routines, systems, processes and methodsThis part explores the base elements of productivity systems:Habits and routinesSystems, processes, and methodsThose are key to building an “effortless” life, requiring as little willpower/motivation as possible to make things happen.03. Career Management and AnticipationThis part focuses on career management: its importance, your responsibility, the mindset you need to acquire, and all the related ideas.04. LearningThis part shares ideas about how to…Learn how you best learnLearn more effectivelyExplore new topicsResearchFilter informationLeverage AI and LLMs…05. Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) and JournalingThis part explores how to collect, organize, and link all your knowledge and information. It explores the main concepts of PKM, note-taking, note-making, tools of the trade, and structures/tips to help you keep everything useful, manageable, and maintainable as your knowledge base grows.It also introduces journaling and how to approach it to support your whole life.06. Projects OrganizationThis part focuses on how to organize projects and their information in a way that enables you and your teams to make focused progress.It shares ideas about how to organize project information, how to document projects, how to organize backlogs, etc.07. Planning and PrioritizationThis part focuses on how to plan projects and tasks, how to deal with deadlines, and how to prioritize work using various methods.08. Task ManagementThis part focuses on task management for personal and professional projects. It explores ways to keep tasks under control, how to organize personal work, and how to make the link between your different backlogs and your day-to-day life.09. Focus, Attention, Time Management and ActionThis part focuses on how to make things happen every single day, regardless of whatever is going on in your life. It’s all about techniques, tips & tricks, and tools to help you better manage your time, focus, and attention in order to ACT.10. Personal DevelopmentThis part explores important aspects of Personal Development that can make a big difference in a Knowledge Worker’s life. A sane mind in a sane body.11. ControlThis part is dedicated to control. How to control your progress, your trajectory, your projects, etc. And also, how to adjust course when things don’t go as expected.12. Personal OrganizationThis part helps better organize yourself and your information. It shares “zen” techniques you can use to remain organized, independently of how much information you have to juggle with.13. WorkThis part is all about WORK. How to do the work, how to improve your attitude, your results, and your recognition. It also dives into how to better collaborate with others to achieve your goals and those of your company/group.
Gumroad

Benefits of embracing the KISS Principle

  1. Increased Efficiency: streamlining processes leads to faster task completion.
  2. Enhanced Understanding: clear communication fosters better comprehension.
  3. Reduced Errors: simplicity minimizes the likelihood of mistakes.
  4. Improved Collaboration: simple systems are more accessible to team members.

Simply put: less is more.

Applying the KISS principle to Knowledge Work

Clarity in Communication

Knowledge workers often find themselves in situations where complex concepts need to be conveyed clearly. Applying the KISS principle to communication ensures that your message is concise, direct, and easily understandable.

Streamlined Processes

Knowledge work involves numerous processes, from project management to problem-solving. The KISS principle advocates for streamlining these processes, focusing on the essential steps and eliminating unnecessary complications. This not only enhances efficiency but also reduces the chances of errors.

Enhanced Decision-Making

Simplicity in decision-making is another facet of the KISS principle. When faced with complex choices, knowledge workers can benefit from breaking down decisions into simpler components. This makes it easier to weigh options, leading to more informed and efficient decision-making.

Practical Tips for applying the KISS principle

  • Prioritize information: focus on the most critical/important/useful information first
  • Simplify the language: avoid jargon and be straightforward
  • Eliminate redundancy
  • Focus on the essential
  • Simplify iteratively: regularly review and simplify whenever possible

In addition, here are useful questions to ask in order to apply this principle:

  • Do we really need to do that?
  • Can we avoid this?
  • Is it possible to remove or ignore that?
  • How could we simplify this?
  • What’s the least we can do to achieve our goal?
  • Would skipping this part cause immediate/important issues?

I’ll refer many times to the KISS principle in the Knowledge Worker Kit. It’s one of the core principles that all Knowledge workers should embrace and live by. It’s a useful and powerful ally. Keep it Simple, and success will follow.

Subscribe to the newsletter

About Sébastien

I am Sébastien Dubois. You can follow me on X 🐦 and on BlueSky 🦋.


I am an author, founder, and coach. I write books and articles about Knowledge Work, Personal Knowledge Management, Note-taking, Lifelong Learning, Personal Organization, and Zen Productivity. I also craft lovely digital products . You can learn more about my projects here.

If you want to follow my work, then become a member.


Ready to get to the next level?

To embark on your Knowledge Management journey, consider investing in resources that will equip you with the tools and strategies you need. Check out the Obsidian Starter Kit and the accompanying video course. It will give you a rock-solid starting point for your note-taking and Knowledge Management efforts.


If you want to take a more holistic approach, then the Knowledge Worker Kit is for you. It covers PKM, but expands into productivity, personal organization, project/task management, and more:

Knowledge Worker Kit and community
Unlock the next level of your career. Stop feeling disorganized, unproductive, or overwhelmed.
Gumroad

If you are in a hurry, then do not hesitate to book a coaching session with me:

Personal Knowledge Management Coaching
Receive personalized coaching to quickly reach your goals
Gumroad

Read more

Subscribe to the Newsletter 💌