ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Principle of orthogonal design

Okay, kiddo, let's try to explain the principle of orthogonal design in a way that is easy to understand.

Have you ever played with building blocks before? Imagine you have a bunch of different blocks of different shapes and colors. You want to build a tall tower that won't fall over easily.

The principle of orthogonal design is kind of like a set of rules you can use to make sure that your tower is sturdy and balanced. It's like having a set of guidelines that help you choose the right blocks to use for each part of the tower.

For example, let's say you know that some blocks are better for the base of the tower because they are wider and heavier than others. Other blocks might be better for the middle or the top because they are lighter but still strong.

By using these rules, you can choose exactly the right blocks to build your tower in a way that is balanced and strong. The principle of orthogonal design is all about using these kinds of guidelines to make sure that everything you build is stable and works the way it should.

In more technical terms, orthogonal design means that the different parts of a system (like your tower of blocks) are designed independently and don't interfere with each other. Each part is designed so that it only does one thing, and it does it well. This kind of design makes it easier to build things that work well and don't have unexpected problems or bugs.

Overall, the principle of orthogonal design is a very useful concept that can help designers and engineers create better products and systems, and it all starts with building a strong tower of blocks!