It was news to me that apparently there is a ‘Simplicity day’ and guess what, today’s that day! It seems life really has become so complicated that we need to designate one day a year to pause and cut the crap. And to remind ourselves it doesn’t have to be this way.
Just stop and think about our modern lives and how the inflex of ‘stuff’ might not always be that helpful. New technology is often sold with a promise to fix our problems. To take the burden and ultimately make our lives easier. We don’t always see it but all too often it does the opposite. Every time I take a flight I get a fresh reminder of how technology has invaded my life and it’s a real hassle. Laptop, tablet, phone, smart watch, power adaptors, multiple cables and connectors…it doesn’t feel like it’s improving my life when it’s unpacked into a security tray for inspection! Why do I have so much stuff and do I really need it?
Keep it simple
When we set out to develop Kaleido we held onto a few guiding principles. Central to our effort was to shrink diabetes down to size and put it back in its box. For too many people we saw that diabetes had become all-consuming. And we wanted to create products and solutions that would let you get back to living. We landed on three core principles to do that; Personal, discreet and simple. The last of these has proved the hardest for us to strive for because, as if you didn’t already know, diabetes is extraordinarily complicated.
Diabetes devices have come a long way from their origins and we are so grateful for some of the incredible and life changing advances that benefit us and our loved ones today. But over that journey I’ve noticed that (in some areas) the extra devices and widgets don’t always fit for everyone. For some people they just complicate things even more. This is exactly why we are working our hardest to reduce the impact of diabetes and not just medically. We want to understand you and your needs as a whole person, a unique individual and we’re asking ourselves does it have to be this complicated for you? Does this new feature really help you, does it really ease the pressure?
Striving for simplicity
I’ve got to be honest though, simplicity is a tough nut to crack. But six years into this journey we remain as committed as ever to making things personal, keeping things discreet and, above all else, striving for simple.
So on Simplicity day, as the Kaleido team reflect on simplifying diabetes, I encourage you to think about your life. What is making your life more complicated that you can do without? Can you achieve more with less? Do you really need all that stuff?!
About Tim
Tim Oakes is CTO and co-founder of ViCentra B.V., the company behind Kaleido. From a young age Tim could usually be found tinkering with tools and prototypes, building his own boats and rigging elaborate zip lines. Having grown up with a father with Type 1 Diabetes, Tim has a strong motivation to make products to make life with Type 1 Diabetes easier.