You know the old saying about how people are like onions in that they have many layers to them? Well the interesting thing about this is that each of these layers varies in complexity. Thus the initial surface may appear light and straightforward, yet the deeper you go, the more complexities are revealed.
What I find even more interesting about this though is how it relates to good design. Some of the best appliances, devices, or programs I’ve used take this same approach. A very simple exterior that easy to understand and use immediately but with many layered complexities that give you more control the deeper you go and more time you spend using it.
The funny thing is that I never really thought about this approach with regards to websites before, yet it could be easily applied as well. I mean just like a relationship, you start off with light chatter about everyday things in common and then over time you begin speaking about more deeper and complex issues and discussions. Therefore the initial home page of the website talks about simpler things on an understandable level and the deeper you go into the website, the more you learn about the product, service, or person and the more complex the discussions may be.