--- title: Retaining Unnecessary Complexity description: Invisible waste driver - people don't see the complexity retained that will cost them for years. Designing, developing and delivering something that should no longer exist is a complete waste. --- [![Totally Optimized Projects](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/hs-fs/hubfs/TOPLogos/TOP%20Header%20logo2020.png?width=338&height=93&name=TOP%20Header%20logo2020.png "Totally Optimized Projects")](https://www.totallyoptimizedprojects.com) ![clouds-2.jpg](http://design-assets.hubspot.com/hubfs/Stratus/clouds-2.jpg "clouds-2.jpg") # Retaining Unnecessary Complexity [![Share on facebook](https://7528309.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528309/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/facebook-color.png?width=24&name=facebook-color.png) ](https://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com%2Ftop-thinking%2Fretaining-unnecessary-complexity%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on linkedin](https://7528302.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528302/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/linkedin-color.png?width=24&name=linkedin-color.png) ](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com%2Ftop-thinking%2Fretaining-unnecessary-complexity%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dlinkedin) [![Share on twitter](https://7528304.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528304/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/twitter-color.png?width=24&name=twitter-color.png) ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com%2Ftop-thinking%2Fretaining-unnecessary-complexity%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com%2Ftop-thinking%2Fretaining-unnecessary-complexity%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=) [![Share on email](https://7528311.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528311/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/email-color.png?width=24&name=email-color.png) ](mailto:?subject=Check+out+https%3A%2F%2Fblog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com%2Ftop-thinking%2Fretaining-unnecessary-complexity%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail&body=Check+out+https%3A%2F%2Fblog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com%2Ftop-thinking%2Fretaining-unnecessary-complexity%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) Last updated: March 24, 2020 Invisible waste driver - people don't see the complexity retained that will cost them for years. Designing, developing and delivering something that should no longer exist is a complete waste. --- **Invisible waste driver - people don't see the complexity retained that will cost them for years** ***Designing, developing and delivering something that should no longer exist is a complete waste. *** Michael Hammer coined the phrase, “Obliterate don’t automate!” Before any project solution is selected or designed the business needs need to be identified and either eliminated or simplified. Not marginally ‘improved’ by, say, 10%; but significantly simplified by, say, 40% or more. Take 40% or more of the process steps out of your current processes and you reduce the complexity of both: - the project (less complexity to deign, develop and deliver) - AND future operations (less complexity to operate, train people in and resource). Many business analysts and other process worker’s work is superficial - achieving less than 15% improvement (if any improvement is attempted at all). One brand name consultancy took 12 months to achieve a 13% process step reduction; TOP took 4 weeks to achieve a 35% reduction. The top 5% of firms avoid retained complexity by simplifying the current state BEFORE approaching solutions or designs. Simplification of operational complexity by over 40% can be common. And, the real payoff is that you can subsequently manage a simpler, lower cost and more flexible organization on an ongoing basis. Relying on predefined software solutions to define your requirements leads to unnecessary complexity and often causes workarounds to be created to fit the solution into the existing business - another source of waste. The top 5% use their simplified process definitions to evaluate and select exact match software solutions, avoiding customizations and operational gaps that perpetuate waste. TOP calls this Business Simplification [For further information](http://www.TotallyOptimizedProjects.com/)   Topics: [Strategy Execution](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/strategy-execution) ### Further Reading   #### Footnotes [1] ... --- ###### Revision History First published: [![Simms, J.](https://hubspot-no-cache-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/467424/2854883b-1600-46fc-9eaf-1e12fb465102.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/467424/2854883b-1600-46fc-9eaf-1e12fb465102) (Dec 2014) as "Retaining Unnecessary Complexity" Updated: [![Chapman, A.](https://hubspot-no-cache-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/467424/0cd0ed44-5c71-45ed-895d-2b8bc841e12b.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/467424/0cd0ed44-5c71-45ed-895d-2b8bc841e12b) (March 2020), Revisions and Corrections ### TOPics - [Benefits Management (29)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/benefits-management) - [Business Case (24)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/business-case) - [Business Simplification (5)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/business-simplification) - [Capability Development (38)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/capability-development) - [Capital Investment (24)](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/topic/capital-investment) © TOTALLY OPTIMIZED PROJECTS 2026 [**](https://blog.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/top-thinking/retaining-unnecessary-complexity#)