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Addition by Subtraction
Addition by Subtraction
Addition by Subtraction
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Overview

Commonly used in art and sport, but just as relevant for product design, UX, architecture, entrepreneurship, personal development, and al ...

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Quid enim ab antiquis ex eo genere, quod ad disserendum valet, praetermissum est? Quae dici eadem de ceteris virtutibus possunt, quarum omnium fundamenta vos in voluptate tamquam in aqua ponitis. Qua igitur re ab deo vincitur, si aeternitate non vincitur? Praeclare enim Plato: Beatum, cui etiam in senectute contigerit, ut sapientiam verasque opiniones assequi possit. Teneo, inquit, finem illi videri nihil dolere. Nihilo beatiorem esse Metellum quam Regulum. Ne in odium veniam, si amicum destitero tueri. Eadem nunc mea adversum te oratio est. Duo Reges: constructio interrete. Quamquam ab iis philosophiam et omnes ingenuas disciplinas habemus; Itaque sensibus rationem adiunxit et ratione effecta sensus non reliquit.

Illud dico, ea, quae dicat, praeclare inter se cohaerere. Ut scias me intellegere, primum idem esse dico voluptatem, quod ille don. Iubet igitur nos Pythius Apollo noscere nosmet ipsos.

Non enim iam stirpis bonum quaeret, sed animalis. Ad corpus diceres pertinere-, sed ea, quae dixi, ad corpusne refers? Quod si ita se habeat, non possit beatam praestare vitam sapientia. Ut proverbia non nulla veriora sint quam vestra dogmata.

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Actionable Takeaways
  • Pause before you add. 

Whether you’re facing a pro ...

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Mihi vero, inquit, placet agi subtilius et, ut ipse dixisti, pressius. An ea, quae per vinitorem antea consequebatur, per se ipsa curabit? Ut in geometria, prima si dederis, danda sunt omnia. Paulum, cum regem Persem captum adduceret, eodem flumine invectio? Ipse Epicurus fortasse redderet, ut Sextus Peducaeus, Sex. Duo Reges: constructio interrete. Huius ego nunc auctoritatem sequens idem faciam. Callipho ad virtutem nihil adiunxit nisi voluptatem, Diodorus vacuitatem doloris.

Sed quid attinet de rebus tam apertis plura requirere? Bonum liberi: misera orbitas. Quae duo sunt, unum facit. Immo vero, inquit, ad beatissime vivendum parum est, ad beate vero satis. Graecum enim hunc versum nostis omnes-: Suavis laborum est praeteritorum memoria. Beatus autem esse in maximarum rerum timore nemo potest.

A quibus propter discendi cupiditatem videmus ultimas terras esse peragratas. Qui enim voluptatem ipsam contemnunt, iis licet dicere se acupenserem maenae non anteponere. Neque enim civitas in seditione beata esse potest nec in discordia dominorum domus; Sin eam, quam Hieronymus, ne fecisset idem, ut voluptatem illam Aristippi in prima commendatione poneret. Bork Sed venio ad inconstantiae crimen, ne saepius dicas me aberrare;

Limitations

Addition by Subtraction is a useful concept but obviously will not always apply. Some things are simply complicated and will require greater investment or inputs. Some things can not just be reduced to create more value. Sometimes more, might actually be the answer. 

For example, in this cost-cutting environment for business, it's tempting to assume that this concept just means cutting back on staff. However, another option might involve investing more in sales and marketing or investing to change a product line to better engage with a shifting market. 

In Practice

iPhone.

Apple’s removal of the iPhone’s physical keyboard can be seen as an example of delivering new value with less apparent product.  

Atlassian’s no-jerk policy. 

When software company Atlassian wanted to improve the output of their developers, one of the initiatives they took was to apply a ‘no jerk’ policy. This involved exiting talented but arrogant developers who they believed were holding their respective teams back. 

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Origins & Resources

As noted in the main summary, Addition by Subtraction has been around in many forms, for many years, and we could not attribute it to one prime thinker. 

Some notable advocates include artist Donald Judd, a leader of the minimalist art movement; the architect Mies Van der Rohe who argued that ‘less is more’ as a key proponent of modernist architecture; Warren Buffett who applies it in his approach to investing, and even Steve Jobs whose focus on a streamlined Apple business model is sometimes cited as his clear prioritisation approach. 

 

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