A Subtractive Approach
Adding Value Through Elimination
We all know the phrase ‘less is more,’ but do we practice it? As part of any strategy, design, or technical process, do you carefully consider what can be removed or combined? If not, we suggest that you start. The benefits of being subtractive range from creating clarity and realizing greater potential to developing more concise and refined solutions.
Using a subtractive approach doesn’t necessarily mean that software, web solutions, or design are stark nor limited in features and depth. It does mean that they are more thoughtful, elegant, and concise. Even though these solutions demand more time to create successfully, we wouldn’t have it any other way.
We are in good company with this thinking:
- “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” — Leonardo da Vinci
- “If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.” — Blaise Pascal[1]
- “Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” — Antoine de Saint-Exupery
- “Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do.” — Steve Jobs
[1] Many famous people in history have been attributed to this quote. The first known instance in English was a sentence translated from a text written by the French mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal.
A Subtractive Approach in Action
For Soup Group, considering the combining, and sometimes the removal of elements, is motivated by our desire to create concise, robust, and effective solutions. The following is an example of subtraction that is probably familiar.
We worked with a SaaS solution startup that wanted to engage four distinct user types within one application. Each type had unique sign-up processes, account detail requirements, and services.
The Company’s approach had been to be as flexible as possible by building a comprehensive and detailed feature set. Unfortunately, in doing so, they turned comprehensive and detailed into circuitous and difficult. Being on the Blockchain didn’t help matters, as this created its own barriers.
We ascertained that the public’s lukewarm reaction at launch was mainly due to the platform’s busy and demanding UX/UI. In this case, the solution wasn’t just removing and combining features. It also required that we alter how the founders and their developers thought about engaging new users.
In short, our solution was to give everything to everyone. We did this by giving everyone immediate access to all 4 distinct parts of the application, with only their name and email address.
The Problems
- The initial user signup process was lengthy and had an average of 15 required form fields of information before a user could access their account.
- Once an account was created, users had to complete a very detailed user profile – up to 30 required fields – before using the SaaS services.
- Users also needed a Crypto wallet to use the solution, which added to the time and complexity of completing user profiles.
- There was a negative brand effect occurring with their users, customers, investors, and partners.
The Solutions
- The goal was to increase customer conversions and the usage of their services by reducing as many barriers as possible.
- Soup Group designed a solution allowing users instant access to all four account types. This approach required users only give us an email address. The potential customers could browse all of the services and features of all account types and then choose which was right for them. They could also choose to have multiple account types, which was often the case.
- To increase conversions, our approach allowed users to complete their profiles in stages. This allowed them to dig deeper into the application without the previous friction. By being able to explore and understand the platform’s services, potential customers transitioned into paying customers more efficiently and often.
- Another focus was to help the company’s Sales, Marketing, and Customer Support teams by demonstrating the solution’s value and answering common questions by creating a feature tour. This guided users visually and helped them more thoroughly understand the platform. Sales and Marketing experienced more conversions, and Support wasn’t nearly as busy. We also added contextual help to further ease onboarding – yes, we add things.
- To realize the project’s goals, Soup Group performed a UX/UI overhaul, including the following subtractions:
- We removed an average of 15 required form fields from the initial signup process for all user types.
- To give new users immediate access to information and features, we removed the previously required confirmation email. Ultimately, email confirmation was required, but it could wait.
- The requirement to complete profiles before users could access services was eased by requiring information only when certain functions needed it. For instance, a user could communicate with a 3rd party provider with only a confirmed email address, but to use their services, the user needed to provide a Crypto wallet.
- Our feature tour eliminated many pre-sales questions by visually demonstrating features and benefits. Along with the contextual help, this moved users towards conversion.
- We removed a myriad of UX/UI elements that had been confusing users and creating dead ends.
Being Additive is Baked In
An interesting look at how we naturally overlook removing elements to create effective solutions was written by Scientific American. Academics from the University of Virginia did a study to better understand what our attempts to solve problems look like. In short, they found that being additive is a very natural reaction to solving problems, so much so that you would think it’s in our DNA.
The study highlights that few people consider subtraction as a viable method for helping a situation. Interestingly, when the participants were reminded that they could consider subtraction as a method, the results greatly affected positive outcomes for their proposed solutions.
Conclusion - Subtraction in Practice
Is a subtractive approach for you? We feel that everyone should at least consider it, if not completely adopt it. Why wouldn’t you at least try to make strategy, design, or software more concise? You might reduce friction, increase efficiency, and create deeper engagement for your customers.
As great as all of this sounds, integrating ‘doing less’ into organizations, teams, or a client’s ethos can take some selling. Education, training, and some changes in our natural behavior are usually required. We use well-known and successful examples of subtraction in action to set the tone. From there, it only takes consistently using a subtractive approach, and reinforcement through success, to integrate it into your workflow.
We do practice what we preach, although it may not seem like it. This article had hundreds of words removed after analysis and digging into the nuances… Too much?
Additional Reading
- Our Brain Typically Overlooks This Brilliant Problem-Solving Strategy – Scientific American, April, 2021: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/our-brain-typically-overlooks-this-brilliant-problem-solving-strategy/
- When Subtraction Adds Value – Harvard Business Review, February, 2022: https://hbr.org/2022/02/when-subtraction-adds-value
- This was built on the Scientific American article but includes additional information.