Keep it Simple.
We overcomplicate by default. A schedule that covers every contingency, a stack that meets every requirement, a process with a step for everything. It feels like diligence. It’s usually just fear of being caught out, and it costs the team more than the thing you were hedging against.
The Dangers of Overcomplication
When we overcomplicate, we risk losing clarity, increasing the likelihood of misunderstandings and slowing down progress. Here’s how complexity can hinder your project:
- Technical Complexity: Developers may be tempted to build the most sophisticated solution possible. While innovation is great, overly complex systems are more complicated to maintain, scale, and troubleshoot. I’ve seen many cases where teams have attempted to standardize tools (for example, Cookie Consent) only to pick a tool that “meets all requirements,” which was then impossible to implement due to its technical complexity.
- Complicated Schedules: You may need to account for every possible contingency, leading to convoluted schedules that are hard to follow and execute.
Embrace MVP Thinking
MVP thinking works on more than products. Apply it to your schedule, your process, and your notes. Here’s how:
- Simplify Schedules: Create precise, concise, and focused schedules for the essential tasks. Don’t clutter them with unnecessary details or contingencies that might never happen. If you must include deeper details, use groups and collapsable views to create progressive disclosure in your schedule. Not everyone needs to see every detail like you need to.
- Streamline Processes: Aim for simplicity when defining processes and ways of working. Processes should help your team work more efficiently and keep them from slowing down with unnecessary steps.
- Refine Documentation: Keep your documents and notes straightforward. If it takes an hour to understand your notes, imagine how long it will take others.
Why Simplicity Matters
Keep it simple for the eleven other people who have to read the thing.
Your job is to make the work easier to do, not more impressive to look at. Keep it simple.