Understand the principles embedded in a complex system

Consider these insights from Dr. Eli Goldratt , creator of the Theory of Constraints, from The Choice.(co-authored with his daughter Efrat Goldratt-Ashlag).?

“The first and most profound obstacle is that people believe that reality is complex, and therefore they are looking for sophisticated explanations for complicated solutions. Do you understand how devastating this is?”

"If we dive deep enough, we’ll find that there are very few elements at the base - the root causes - which, through cause and effect connections, are governing the whole system.”

“Inherent Simplicity. In a nutshell, it is at the foundation of all modern science as put by Newton: ‘nature is exceedingly simple and harmonious with itself.’

“The hardest thing to do is to struggle to find an answer to a problem when we believe that there is a high chance that it doesn't have an answer; it is so easy to give up. That is why Father recommends starting with the conviction that a better solution exists for sure.”?

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The Amplio System mitigates the impact of complexity by showing how to achieve and use quick feedback in our workflows. This both uncovers the complex relationships we didn’t see while limiting the damage that invisibility can do.

Amplio helps achieve this by providing first principles of knowledge work which describe the cause and effects embedded in creating value. First principles stand on their own. They are not defined but are discovered through observation and relentless evaluation. Violating them has consequences, typically creating waste and lost opportunities. They can be used to provide guidance as to what individuals, teams, and organizations should do or avoid. These are first principles Amplio considers most useful:

1. Delays in workflow cause waste due to multitasking.
2. Delays in getting feedback and in taking advantage of lessons learned cause waste by not taking corrective action quickly.
3. Most of our challenges are caused by the system.
4. People working beyond capacity cause delays that create additional work to be done (waste).
5. Working on things of lesser value to critical stakeholders is waste.
6. We can complete a subset of a large item faster than the full item. Smaller is typically faster.
7. We only see what we think and talk about.
8. We can’t manage what we don’t see.
9. Local improvements don’t necessarily result in global improvements.
10. Handoffs risk a loss of knowledge and information

Knowing what to do, however, is insufficient if you don’t know how to convey it to others. So Amplio also provides first principles of how people learn. These are:

1. People often won’t change behavior if they don’t understand the ”why” of the change - both the benefit and why it will work.
2. People learn better when they can access their dormant and ambient knowledge. This provides them understanding from the start.
3. People learn more quickly when they use their experience to improve their model of understanding.?
4. Resistance to change is not inherent. Resistance to imposed change is.
5. Telling people what to do sets them up for failure. Not due to resistance but due to a lack of understanding.?
6. We do not think and talk about what we see. We only see what we think and talk about.
7. Giving too much information overloads people. Given too little wastes their time.?
8. People listen to their own internal conversation more than what you are saying.
9. People are more effective when you have explicit workflows.
10. The system people are in affects how well people can learn.

The focus on complexity has many people take their eye off what they do know. We must remember that we don't think and talk about what we see, we see what we are able to think and talk about (Edgar Schein). This means if these first principles aren't in our vernacular, we're not seeing them.

Our approach to being in a complex system must integrate what we know to illuminate what we don’t.

These insights are just the tip of the iceberg as to what Amplio provides.

In addition to expanding the state of the art of what to do, the Amplio Educators program provides live training with me at the cost of online, self-study.

Message me if you want to learn more .