Solving IT problems is solving business problems. Information Technology (IT) is never an end goal. Simple IT solutions make dreams reality and can have a positive impact on the quality of our lives. However complex IT solutions are the de facto standard for too many solutions. Complex IT solutions have a large negative impact. But solving and preventing IT complexity is hard.
We live in a complex world. Due to continuous scientific innovations it is hard to understand how nowadays systems work.
IT complexity has many negative effects. E.g. higher cost, reduced safety and increased security and privacy risks are common negative aspects of complex IT systems.
To fight IT complexity there are tools to:
Analyse IT and software complexity. Note that analysing software is not enough to solve IT complexity. Also processes, human factors and the context must be taken into account. Some simple good tools are causal loop diagrams and making simple system dynamics analyses with the great (free) FOSS tool InsightMaker.
Prevent IT and software complexity. Using good principles when designing a new system is a must. So use the 0complexity principles to prevent IT complexity.
Solve IT complexity by using simple tools from the toolkit.
There is no such thing as “simplicity science” with a body of knowledge of proven scientific methods to solve IT complexity. However there is a lot of scientific knowledge developed the last 80 years from complexity science and system science that has resulted into ways to analyse, prevent and solve IT complexity.
Solving business IT complexity is not simple. But in the end it is always profitable.