A concept we've tried to share with clients with mixed success is
"minimalism". Too much content or too much activity on a web page
merely disturbs the user, and doesn't necessarily satisfy their
craving for information. The Apple iPod is the chief example of this
that everyone can relate to. They eventually did away with the
buttons, leaving just one central "jog wheel" to control a very
powerful device. Sales climbed. The device was lauded as a
breakthrough. This pattern can be applied to all kinds of web
interfaces as well, but the willingness of of clients to let us do
that is still not quite there.