In a number of recent posts I’ve attempted to raise the awareness that a number of factors, most importantly, complex organizational structures and overly feature-rich technologies; result in unavoidable complex and failure prone projects.
As highlighted in The Wheels On the Bus Go Round and Round, the cycle goes as follows:
- A complex Organizational Structure will result in a complex technical solution
- A complex technical solution will result in new IT processes required to mitigate the risk
- More process will result in lower quality
- Lower quality will result in increased demand for more complex technology
- ad infinitum
Now, I’ve come across the argument that the problem is not in the complexity itself but rather in our inability to manage that complexity. I don’t buy this argument as it attempts to deal with the symptoms rather than the problem, and the problem clearly is the over complexity.
Having discussed this matter with a good friend and fellow critical thinker, David Jacobs, he wisely referred me to the successful trial which was implemented since 2006, where seven cities and regions in Europe were ‘doing away’ with traffic signs.
One paragraph from the article above, that really resonates with me, states that “the new traffic model’s advocates believe the only way out of this vicious circle is to give drivers more liberty and encourage them to take responsibility for themselves.”
The analogy to organizational and IT complexity is not difficult to draw. All you need to do is just… think about it!
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