Principlev1PR-1404
Choose tools whose interface complexity matches…
Choose tools whose interface complexity matches the complexity of your need—tools that are too simple force workarounds while tools that are too complex impose unnecessary cognitive overhead.
Why This Is a Principle
This prescriptive principle follows from the axioms about working memory limits (Working Memory Capacity Limit), finite cognitive resources (Directed Attention as Depletable Resource), and the metabolic cost of deliberation (Conscious Processing Is Metabolically Expensive). It prescribes matching tool complexity to task complexity to avoid both inadequacy and overhead. This is a principle because it's derived (from cognitive limits), general (applies to any tool selection), and actionable (gives clear selection criterion).