Insanely Simple by Ken Segall – review

Eulogised as the greatest chief executive ever, Steve Jobs made Apple the world's most valuable company before he died last October. It was all down to his obsession with simplicity, writes Ken Segall, the ad man who devised the famous "i" prefix in Apple's product names.

Segall's book has the trappings of a management guide, with each chapter explaining a part of Apple's philosophy. But he avoids being didactic, providing an entertaining perspective on how Apple typically gets it right, citing Jobs's insistence on straight talking, foolproof designs and memorable slogans, and his aversion to overstaffed meetings and big-company culture.

An obvious admirer, the author does not flinch from pointing out Jobs's mistakes, showing that simplicity does not come easily. His diagnoses of problems at other technology companies are candid and insightful, for example the benefits of Apple's slim product range compared with the expanding catalogues of its rivals. Insanely Simple should be required reading for any boss with a Byzantine organisation and a shrinking business.