So you have a great new idea to solve a problem and you’re ready to embark on your quest to bring it to the world. The question is – Will you be able to figure out a way to form your solution into a product that is simple?

Why? Well, the next time you’re walking up and down the aisles of any major retailer, compare the number of simple products vs. complex products lining the store shelves. It’s a good bet that “simple” will win out, hands down.

In my opinion, simple is genius. Anyone can make things complex; the hard work goes into figuring out a way to make something simple. It’s well worth the effort. For starters, simple is usually easier to manufacture. That translates into lower cost for the manufacturer, which means a lower cost for the consumer.

What’s that you say? You don’t understand the basics of design, manufacturing processes, raw materials and engineering? Well, if you’re trying to go it on your own, you’d better learn, because your solution will be limited by your knowledge.

Second, simple is easier to communicate to individuals who have never seen your creation before. In other words, the product can be graphically shown on a package so people ‘get it’ right away. Simple also means that once they buy it, they understand how it works and can use it without getting frustrated.

The list goes on and on. Simple translates into a product that is easier for retail outlets to merchandise and display. A simple product is also very hard to duplicate – the competition has no choice but to produce a more complex product. And the more parts there are in a product, the more opportunity for failure.

There is no clearer example of this than when we came up with a solution for a company’s failed product that stores plastic grocery bags. We revamped the BagStor with a simplified design that benefited the manufacturer, as well as the consumer.

By eliminating the back of the unit (so whatever it is mounted to serves as the backing), we drastically reduced the amount of plastic required, as well as costly time in the injection molding machine. We also incorporated wide draft angles, which further lowered the molding time and eliminated the need for pins to knock the part out of the mold.

In addition, we made the product more user-friendly by creating a wide top and a large, funnel-shaped mouth in front. That good engineering also made the product aesthetically pleasing. In addition, we put an inner lip around the opening to create just enough friction to hold the bags securely in place.

We ended up with a simple product that is injection molded quickly, works beautifully and is low-cost enough that everyone can afford one. The company is making a profit and, if the competition tries to get one on the market, they have to do something that’s more complex – and more costly.

We turned the company’s failed product into a better product at a better price that is on many more store shelves. In turn, we make royalties that are representative of our hard work.

This is why simple is genius; somebody with all the knowledge looked at all the possibilities and pieced the puzzle together in a way that it is simple for all of us to use.

It’s a win-win for everyone – except the competition!