Editing KISS principle (section)

==Origin==
The acronym was reportedly coined by [[Kelly Johnson (engineer)|Kelly Johnson]], lead engineer at the [[Lockheed Martin|Lockheed]] [[Skunk Works]] (creators of the [[Lockheed U-2]] and [[SR-71 Blackbird]] spy planes, among many others).<ref name=BRich/> However, the variant "Keep it Short and Simple" is attested from a 1938 issue of the ''[[Minneapolis Star]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1938-12-02 |title=Keep It Short and Simple (1938). |pages=20 |work=The Minneapolis Star |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/38577884/keep-it-short-and-simple-1938/ |access-date=2022-08-21}}</ref>

While popular usage has transcribed it for decades as "Keep it simple, stupid", Johnson transcribed it simply as "Keep it simple stupid" (no comma), and this reading is still used by many authors.<ref name=misra>Ram B. Misra (2004), "Global IT Outsourcing: Metrics for Success of All Parties", ''Journal of Information Technology Cases and Applications'', volume 6 issue 3, page 21. [http://eies.njit.edu/~jerry/Outsourcing/out-JITCA-6-3-2004-2.pdf Online version]. Retrieved 2009-12-19.</ref>

The principle is best exemplified by the story of Johnson handing a team of design engineers a handful of tools, with the challenge that the [[jet aircraft]] they were designing must be repairable by an average [[mechanic]] in the field under combat conditions with only these tools. Hence, the "stupid" refers to the relationship between the way things break and the sophistication available to repair them.

The acronym has been used by many in the [[List of military slang terms|U.S. military]], especially the [[List of U.S. Navy acronyms and expressions|U.S. Navy]] and [[United States Air Force]], and in the field of [[software development]].