KISS principle
The KISS principle is a maxim often invoked when discussing design to fend off creeping featurism and control complexity of development. The usual explanation for this acronym is "Keep it Simple, Stupid", others are "Keep it Simple and Stupid" (often in artificial intelligence) or "keep it small and simple".
The acronym was originally used as a piece of advice from lawyers counseling their clients. The KISS principle is often used by software developers - meaning the software should be designed in the simplest way, and unneeded features should not be added.
Possibly related to the common marketing maxim for sales presentations, "Keep It Short and Simple".
The term may well have originated at the Lockheed Skunk Works facility. At the very least, it dates from before 1980 and may come from the (US) Army. It may be even older as some suggests that UNIX had been invented by following the KISS principle.
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