Critical thing to monitor
the distance between those adding complexity to the business and those having to deal with the increased complexity in day-to-day decision making
without healthy feedback loops, you can get a massive increase in complexity before the alarm bells go off
the distance between those adding complexity to the business and those having to deal with the increased complexity in day-to-day decision making
without healthy feedback loops, you can get a massive increase in complexity before the alarm bells go off
in addition to pure distance (hops between people), you also get some interesting effects.
experienced ppl tend to notice the early signals, bc they are able to juggle the ramifications.
e.g "for *that* persona we'd do this a bit differently..."
experienced ppl tend to notice the early signals, bc they are able to juggle the ramifications.
e.g "for *that* persona we'd do this a bit differently..."
...less experienced team members may not notice as quickly. They will artificially reduce added complexity and/or just not do anything with the extra cognitive load.
Their work will suffer, but they may not notice
Their work will suffer, but they may not notice
...unless you are there actually juggling the tensions, it can be very hard to empathize. This is the classic executive swooping in and saying "WHY ARE WE MAKING THIS SO COMPLICATED!"
(um, because you got us into this, and you aren't do the work)
(um, because you got us into this, and you aren't do the work)
...another complication is that like many things, it doesn't happen all at once. It creeps up. You get some new information, it doesn't seem so conflicting, and you jump in.
It is only until later that you realize what this new constraint (or lack of a constraint) actually means
It is only until later that you realize what this new constraint (or lack of a constraint) actually means
...one of the big culprits is the human tendency to persuade ourselves that there's "overlap"
"Well, OK, these are different customer types BUT there is a lot of overlap, right? Most should still apply, right?"
Why do we do this? To avoid the dissonance? Not sure
"Well, OK, these are different customer types BUT there is a lot of overlap, right? Most should still apply, right?"
Why do we do this? To avoid the dissonance? Not sure
...*everyone* does this ... in our personal lives as well.
but when we do it to ourselves, we typically get information very quickly that something is amiss.
not so when spread across an org.
If everyone's life gets 1% harder...do we sense that? 10%?
but when we do it to ourselves, we typically get information very quickly that something is amiss.
not so when spread across an org.
If everyone's life gets 1% harder...do we sense that? 10%?
...of course some of this is just not being able to predict certain types of complexity in advance. We *think* something is straightforward ... accept some distance ... and then find out later that it is more involved.
...and some of it is only perceivable by those with 1) access to those dealing with the day-to-day decisions, 2) *across* different areas of the company.
this could explain why roles like UX, CS, support with reach sometimes sense it sooner
this could explain why roles like UX, CS, support with reach sometimes sense it sooner
...pondering, this is why myopically focusing on "work in progress" (as most people view work, typing, pixel moving, or whatever) can lead us astray.
"the work" manifests only part of the complexity, and is frequently decomposed...rendering the signals faint.
visualize MORE
"the work" manifests only part of the complexity, and is frequently decomposed...rendering the signals faint.
visualize MORE
...another confounding dynamic is when a company is growing rapidly and a lot of other things are impacting the team (e.g. onboarding and ramping).
common diagnosis "well, we are just growing quickly, they'll get up to speed"
that might be right, but may not
common diagnosis "well, we are just growing quickly, they'll get up to speed"
that might be right, but may not
...makes me think that there is "chronic complexity" and "acute complexity".
We experience acute stressors all the time and bounce back. OMG THE FLIGHT HAS BEEN CANCELED.
Chronic issues are much harder to sort out, even when (because?) they multiply exponentially
We experience acute stressors all the time and bounce back. OMG THE FLIGHT HAS BEEN CANCELED.
Chronic issues are much harder to sort out, even when (because?) they multiply exponentially
...I'm reminded of this telephone game image.
All good intent. Subtle degradation. Everyone is asking "what do you need", and then shaping the message a bit.
You could imagine this multiplied by many issues...
All good intent. Subtle degradation. Everyone is asking "what do you need", and then shaping the message a bit.
You could imagine this multiplied by many issues...
...curious also about how this impacts different people.
as someone who grew up with certain things going on, I have a tendency to try to advocate ... to stay in the mess ... to hope people will "see it"
...others are out the door
...others "seems fine to me, work is work"
as someone who grew up with certain things going on, I have a tendency to try to advocate ... to stay in the mess ... to hope people will "see it"
...others are out the door
...others "seems fine to me, work is work"
...aha...it just hit me.
consider how many ways of working are designed to insulate "the teams" from those with a tendency to increase complexity.
to supply just enough back-pressure.
but what if those ways of working just apply back pressure?
what if they make things worse?
consider how many ways of working are designed to insulate "the teams" from those with a tendency to increase complexity.
to supply just enough back-pressure.
but what if those ways of working just apply back pressure?
what if they make things worse?
...so what can we do about this?
One thing that comes to mind is the artful (and safe) use of forcing functions. What I love about this definition is the idea of snapping us out of automatic thought.
Consider how often we're on automatic pilot...
One thing that comes to mind is the artful (and safe) use of forcing functions. What I love about this definition is the idea of snapping us out of automatic thought.
Consider how often we're on automatic pilot...
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
