Progressive Reduction

Progressive reduction

I stumbled across this article by Layer Vault a few days ago discussing an interesting concept that could be the next move in the development of user digital design: Progressive Reduction.

In brief, Progressive Reduction is the technique of simplifying the user interface of an application during the users ongoing experience and interaction with it. For example, a button that once had a description of its purpose would over time would transform to a simple icon. This effectively reduces the amount of ‘hand-holding’ required to navigate it.

Will this be next big change, or has the introduction of flat design and responsive layouts spawned a monster? We would love to hear your thoughts!