On Simplicity - We Keep Adding, But Not Simplifying

A lot of business, life and learning can be reduced to systems and processes.

Humans are often tasked with making these systems and processes...

• Better.
• More efficient.
• More productive.
• More effective.

I'm guilty of trying to do this professionally and personally with thoughts like:

1. How can I continue to learn and upskill myself?
2. How can I reduce my administrative duties on this?
3. How can I meal prep in the most efficient way possible?
4. What's the optimal morning routine for a successful day?
5. What should I do before bed to have the best possible sleep?

In an effort the improve, there is a natural tendency to add to a system rather than subtract.

And when adding to systems we tend to make them more complex.

"People systematically default to searching for additive transformations, and consequently overlook subtractive transformations." - the Additive Bias

Gabrielle S. Adams, Benjamin A. Converse, Andrew H. Hales, Leidy E. Klotz (2021, Nature)

This paradox has had me saying to myself "Keep it simple, stupid" for the last week.

Why Do We Default to Adding?

• Adding feels like progress: It’s visible and tangible.
• Subtraction is harder to justify: It requires confidence and clarity.
• Loss aversion: People fear taking things away might break something.
• Cognitive ease: It's mentally easier to bolt something on than rethink a system from scratch.

Let's explore this applied in different contexts...

On the Data & AI Industry

For businesses looking at implementing AI or undertaking a digital transformations simplification should be kept front of mind with questions like "is this creating complexity or simplicity?"

We had this with DR Analytics Recruitment where we added an 'AI Scout' to help with sourcing talent but it added another complex step to our somewhat simple sourcing process - and lo' and behold, we no longer have that 'AI Scout' solution.

Some questions for technical folk in the industry:

For data engineers is building a more robust data pipeline with less steps possible?

For data analysts can you reduce the number of visuals and colours on a dashboard?

For data scientists what's the simplest model you can build for a critical business metric?

For learning what skill is foundational and used daily throughout your career?

On Business

Charlie Munger, Vice Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway said on being successful:

"Take a simple idea and take it seriously."

Over time, the natural order of things tends to breaks down. This is known as entropy; essentially without input into a system its randomness increases.

Simple processes.

Simple models.

Simple ideas.

Are all more resistant to entropy which effects everything.

So in business, the simplest approach is often the most viable in the long-term.

Instead of adding complexity to DR Analytics Recruitment, I'm trying to reduce it.

Less steps.

Less SOPs.

Less process.

So we'd much rather keep things as simple as possible. We are simply:

A recruitment agency specialised in data, analytics & AI talent providing permanent and contracting labour services.

Not a data training firm. Not a data consultancy. Not a HR service.

On Learning

I get overwhelmed by learning.

There's a lot on my to-do list to get stuck into:

Accounting. Mathematics. Physics. Psychology. Finance. Digital Marketing. Graphic Design. Coding. Data Analytics. Recruitment. Interviewing. Testing. Hiring. Cashflow. Nutrition.

There's no format or possible way to keep up with new technology changes.

In simplifying this, there are two principles:

1) Build mental models to hang knowledge on. You only need 90 or so models says Charlie Munger. Some of these may be mathematics principles, accounting principles and economics principles. Once the models are laid, you can refer to them to keep it simple.

2) Read one source (book) many times, instead of many sources once. There's an over indexation socially on how much is learnt, not how deeply you learn. The simpler the better.

"I would rather read a few books well than read many books poorly."— Seneca (paraphrased)

On life

We live in a world of busy.

And it can feel like a competition for how busy you can be.

Friends. Family. Study. Work. Exercise. Learning.

It all adds up.

But there's little to be said about having a simple life.

I'm trying taking some things away in your life.

End goal? Reducing inputs to happiness and outcomes.

(Fighting that pesky entropy)

"When people try to improve something, their first thought is to add. They pile on to-do list items, features, and layers, but they rarely think of taking things away."— Leidy Klotz

Conclusion

This is some more philosophical writing rather than technical - just what is coming out this Sunday!

I've not been able to get out of my head this idea that simple systems beat complex ones every time...but we naturally think complex is better.

So keep it simple folks. See you in next weeks writing.

Doug

P.S. I feel this disclaimer is needed but highlighting no LLM was harmed or used in the making of this text piece.