Complexity requires maintenance

We tend to add complexity to our lives rather than taking the simple path.  The most insidious effect of complexity is that it steals our time - complexity requires maintenance causing us to create needless activities.  We write overly complex reports at work when a brief summary would suffice, we create a 30 slide presentation when 5 or 6 slides would do, we over detail simple processes and procedures when a simple set of instructions will do, and so on...

Complexity, by nature and definition, means that for something to be complex:

there are many interconnected parts, there are intricate arrangements of parts, there are complicated relationships between parts, and the arrangements are difficult to understand.

Why do we do this to ourselves?  Well, modern life inclines us to do so.  We feel that if a solution is simple rather than complex, that we haven’t added value, therefore we have somehow short changed ourselves and our bosses/customers/clients.  We feel that we haven't put in enough work if the product of our work is simple rather than complex.  Granted, building a space shuttle, bioengineering a new genetic therapy, or constructing a modern skyscraper all are complex endeavors which require sophisticated tools and processes; however, most situations in our lives don't require complexity, they actually beg for simplicity.

 
I’m reminded of the story of the Gordian Knot.  In a nutshell, Gordias had tied an intricate knot that could not be unraveled, ostensibly since there were no visible ends to the rope.  Alexander supposedly took out his sword and cut the knot in half enabling it to be unraveled, solving a heretofore unsolvable problem.  Though legend, the story is an apt metaphor of how simple solutions can trump even the most intractable of problems – or what seems to be intractable.

   
Here's an engineering example of how simplicity won the day:

The new Hong Kong International Airport (Chek Lap Kok) was built on reclaimed land and was one of the most complex engineering undertakings of the late 20th century.  Reclaiming land from the sea is a major task in of itself, not to mention the fact that they built an airport on the reclaimed land as well as an integrated transportation infrastructure to get to and from the airport.  This project could not have been successfully completed had there not been some fairly creative solutions to daunting problems.

 
When land is reclaimed from the sea it tends to sink over time unless water can be drained from underneath the soil.  Couple this with the stringent ground compaction standards required for building airport runways and you’ve got quite a dilemma – how do you drain the water from beneath millions of tons of rock and soil?  The engineers on this project used simple physics rather than intricate pumping methods to solve the problem.  They designed porous tubes that were inserted into the ground.  The weight of the dirt and rocks pushed the water into the tubes which naturally forced the water up and out of the tubes.  This solution was simple and did not require complex designs or technology to accomplish the task.  In addition, though requiring a more creative approach, the solution was far less expensive.

Try making your life more simple by dealing with the core issue(s) only and not adding undue layers of complexity to the situation.  We tend to give too much time to the peripheral issues.  Focus on what really matters, the core question(s) to be answered.

When writing a report, 1) frame the issue(s), 2) present specific solutions, and 3) state the specific decision(s) that management or team members need to make.  When marketing a product or service, 1) identify the need, 2) clearly state the value and benefit(s) of your product/service, and 3) give a call to action for your potential customer/client.

Simple and concise.