KISS – Keep it soft with skills

The best-known American saying, abbreviated to *KISS, stands for ‘Keep it simple, stupid’ (loosely translated into German as ‘Keep it simple, you fool!’ or, more diplomatically, ‘Make it as simple as possible’).

The KISS principle is a philosophy of design and life. It states that most systems, designs or explanations work best when kept simple and straightforward, rather than being made unnecessarily complex.

Origin and Variations

Origin: The phrase originally stems from US Navy submarine development in the 1960s. Engineer Kelly Johnson used it to emphasise that tools must be built in such a way that they can be repaired even under stress and with simple means.

More polite variants: As the word ‘stupid’ is often perceived as rude, the following are more commonly used in professional contexts today:

“Keep it simple and smart”

or even

“Keep it soft with skills” (soft skills: interpersonal skills such as empathy, teamwork, strong communication skills and emotional intelligence – as opposed to technical ‘hard skills’).

Be gentle and skilful!