If we let a system be on its own it will tend to have a higher degree of disorder. Also known as entropy in science. While the science may not be accurate when applied to a business context, the core principles hold. If we want the system to perform consistently, we have to put in extra effort to keep disorder under control.

How to Control Disorder

Implementation specialists or consultants are experts in this area. They will start by creating SOPs, KT documents, measurement systems for key input and output metrics, and a governance rhythm to track all of these. These will help them detect any signs of increasing disorder very early on.

The Paradox

It becomes clear that in order to keep the system running, we need to monitor and correct it continuously. Imagine doing this for several years. We keep adding layers of checks and balances. Eventually, it will become a massively complex affair with layers of governance, metrics dashboards, standard operating procedures, and training documents. The very steps we tried to implement to reduce the probability of disorder have now increased it.

The Solution — Simplify

  1. 1.Take a step back once in a while and ask: what is important, and why are we doing this in the first place? This allows us to prioritize better.
  2. 2.Reduce the number of variables in the system. Use inversion: what if we don't do X, will it impact the outcome?
  3. 3.Reduce complexity for the people involved. If the people handling the systems don't find it easy to execute, the system is too complex. Turn to human-centric design.