Abstract
Saffer documents Tesler’s conservation-of-complexity framing for interaction design: irreducible complexity is redistributed among user, application, and platform — not erased.
Saffer, D. (2009). Designing for interaction: Creating innovative applications and devices (2nd ed.). New Riders.
Key findings
- Interview framing — Tesler’s law enters UX practice via designer-facing interview and teaching, not a single lab paper.
- Who carries load — Designers choose where complexity sits when they simplify the surface.
Application
When Club systems hide branching behind one calm cue, cite Tesler’s Law and keep the backend complex on purpose.