Sustainable complexity control

Just as it is important to get complexity under control, it is important to keep it under control. Ongoing complexity control requires a number of measures to be taken around governance, decision making, and organization.

It is probably not possible to conceive a self-regulating system that will keep complexity under control indefinitely—periodical review will be required as part of the regular business and strategy cycle to ensure the overall complexity control approach is still effective and deployed with the right focus.

There are not many clear cut examples of best in class practices to for sustainable complexity control. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Examples are plentiful of how over time variety turned into complexity in various situations. By comparing positive experiences with situations where control was gradually lost, we have identified a number of measures that can at least prolong the periods of control over complexity. These measures include:

• Alignment with overall strategic intent
  One of the most obvious causes for the loss of control over complexity is a misalignment between what the company is trying to achieve strategically and the approach for controlling complexity. As the organization focuses on its strategic intent, it leaves complexity-focused efforts sitting dead in the water. At best, these efforts will be one-offs that provide some temporary complexity relief, but as soon as the initiatives phase out, so will the control over complexity.
  
  
• Appropriate decision-making processes
  Complexity control requires decision making around the most important complexity trade-offs. Such decision making should be in line with and guided by the appropriate complexity control regime, specifically:
  • Decision-making authority should reflect the complexity control regime
  • Decision making should focus on complexity trade-offs that are most relevant for the specific complexity control regimes
  
  
• Decision-making follow up
  Decision making for complexity trade-offs will influence budgets, P&Ls, balance sheets, and as a result, personal success of individuals. If the consequences of decision making for complexity are accommodated in these reporting structures, complexity control efforts will have little chance of succeeding. It is vitally important to anchor complexity control efforts for impact across and within functions.