Designing beyond simplicity. A case for complex digital tools

Most design laws converges on one directive: keep it simple. But simplicity is the wrong goal for an entire class of software — the digital tool. DAWs, code editors, 3D modelling tools, CAD software, and open source software — these are not apps you navigate through; they are environments you inhabit for hours, creating artifacts that matter. Designing them like websites strips away the very complexity that makes them powerful.

This talk proposes a different design philosophy — one grounded in motive, user dependency, and the nature of what's being created. It maps where digital tools sit relative to websites and apps, shows what goes wrong when the wrong language is applied, and lays out concrete principles for designing software that respects its proficient users.

• A framework for classifying software by user motive and means — and why "digital tools" are a distinct category that most designers never consciously design for.

• How applying website/app design conventions to complex tools actively damages the user experience — with real product examples of what breaks and why.

• The defining characteristics of a well-designed tool — a framework of tool personas that cascade into every feature decision, infrastructure choices that are non-negotiable (local installation, auto-save), and UI primitives like draggable windows, multiple viewports, and custom cursor states that treat drag as the primary language of interaction.