Tesler’s Law: Some Things Are Just Going to Be a Bit Complicated

Have you ever used an app or filled out a form and thought, “Why is this still so complicated?” You’re not alone. But sometimes, the complexity isn’t just bad design it’s unavoidable.

That’s what Tesler’s Law is all about.

What is Tesler’s Law?

Tesler’s Law, also called the Law of Conservation of Complexity, says:

Every task has a certain amount of complexity. That complexity can’t be removed, it can only be shifted.

In other words, someone has to deal with the hard part. Either the designer takes on the complexity behind the scenes, or the user has to handle it in the interface.

This idea came from Larry Tesler, a computer scientist who worked at Apple and helped shape modern user interfaces. He believed that while we should try to simplify things, some complexity is just built into certain tasks.

A simple example

Let’s say you’re booking a flight:

• You need to choose dates, destinations, baggage options, and seat preferences.

• That’s a lot of information.
  

The app can’t magically make those choices go away you still have to provide them. The complexity is part of the task. What the designer can do is make it easier or harder to get through.

So why does Tesler’s Law matter?

When building apps, tools, websites, or even processes at work, it helps to remember:

• You can’t eliminate all complexity.

• You can only decide who deals with it you, or your users.
  

Smart designers try to hide or handle as much of that complexity as possible, so the user experience feels smooth and easy.

Real-life examples

• Tax software: Filing taxes is complicated. Apps like TurboTax ask simple questions and do the calculations for you. They take on the complexity so you don’t have to.
  

• Automatic photo editors: Behind that one-click “enhance” button are complex filters and algorithms but users never see them.
  

• User forms: A long form with dozens of fields might be necessary, but smart design can group questions, use autofill, or provide help tips to reduce the pain.
  

What can we learn from this?

If you're building or creating anything for other people to use an app, a report, a form, a process ask yourself:

• What parts of this task are inherently complex?

• Can I handle more of the hard stuff so the user doesn’t have to?

• Am I overwhelming people with details I could simplify or automate?
  

Even in everyday life like explaining a topic to someone it’s good to remember that someone has to do the thinking. Good communicators and designers just make sure it’s not the audience doing all the work.

Final thought

Tesler’s Law reminds us that not everything can be made “easy.” But with thoughtful design and communication, we can shift the tough parts behind the curtain and make life a little smoother for everyone.