Have you measured your Organizational Complexity?

One of my companions is asked to start coaching a business team that consists of 150 team members. He was started thinking of how he should set up the transformation program?

He was initiated measuring the complexity of the present state of the department before he commences any transformation steps.

He has asked his Spotify friend, he prescribes to create Tribe and Squads. He asked his SPC friends; she recommends to introduce Release trains. He asked is LeSS Friends, he recommends to introduce the Feature team with the scrum of scrum. My friend is confused.

Complexity is a measure of the total number of properties transmitted by an object and detected by an observer. Such a collection of properties is often referred to as a state. In physical systems, complexity is a measure of the probability of the state vector of the system.

e.g rewire the old electric line, you are the line man!

Complexity can be broadly described as a system feature and means interweave, networked and connected.

R L Daft defines complexity in organizations as the number of activities within the organization, measurable by three dimensions: Vertical complexity, quantifiable by the number of levels in an organization hierarchy, horizontal complexity represented by the number of job titles or departments across the organization and spatial complexity expressed by the number of geographical locations.

Organizations that describe high levels of complexity are inferior at creating value.

Environmental, political, and competitive changes conspire to create a challenging and complex operating environment.

We can support the organization by enhancing organizational effectiveness by eliminating complexity.

Complex organizations are far more difficult to manage than merely complicated ones.

Organizational complexity is accompanied with trying to align the views and secure the endorsements of organizational committees with distinct roles, responsibilities, perspectives, and priorities. 

How can to discover the complexity of the organization?

We can compile useful information, structured interviews or focus groups are also useful for collecting quantitative data about the intensity of complexity and qualitative information on what drives the complexity. 

There could be many things which lead to complexity high, like a proliferation of products and/or services, conflicting and overlapping processes, misaligned incentives, bureaucratic hierarchical organizational structures, and inadequately articulated strategies, generally in some form of combination.

“Any darn fool can make something complex; it takes a genius to make something simple.” (Pete Seeger)

After the complexity assessment, my friend established the discussion with the key stakeholders, the theme of the discussion is - how can Organization descale the complexity. Transformation Journey starts and activities goes on...

You have been assigned to a transformation project like my friend. Have you evaluated the Organizational complexity? It will benefit you to understand the system you are going to deal with.