Chaotic Complicated Complexity
The image of a well-oiled machine is a common allegory for simplicity. Everything “just works”, and you can rely on the machine to be reliable, stable, and do the work it was designed to do. But such a metaphor belies what is actually going on. For the machine to work, it had to be designed, and all of the moving parts needed to be precisely fabricated and fitted. And, someone smart has to actually put the oil in the right place.
To a casual observer, a well-oiled machine is the very embodiment of simplicity. As manufacturers, we know better. A well-oiled machine is complicated. There’s a lot that goes into it, but it’s all knowable. It might take years for someone to learn everything there is to learn about a machine, but it’s possible, and people do it all the time. In fact, they’re probably your best-paid employee (unless they’re you!)
Most manufacturing operations, however, are complex. Complexity is a state of being where everything is not fully knowable, but rather is reasonably predictable. Even if you’re an expert, you can’t possibly know how everything interacts with everything else… especially since some of the actors are people, and people have free will.
The risk, of course, is that your nice, predictable, complex system devolves into chaos. Chaos happens when you don’t know everything and you can’t really predict it, either. Chaos is the enemy of sustainable business.
Computer software, when implemented properly, can help prevent complexity from turning into chaos. Manufacturing is complex. The problem is complex. The solution doesn’t have to be.
Steven L Smith
Co-Founder and CEOSteven L Smith is the Co-Founder and CEO of Perdix Software.
With a passion for manufacturing and a drive to simplify complex ideas, Steve enjoys connecting people with the technology and tools they need to build ever better.
Growing up during a time when computing and the internet were just finding its legs, he found great inspiration in technology, building his skills in tandem with the exponential growth of the web. Proving himself to be a driving force at all levels of business, he has held a variety of positions that include significant technical and executive experience in both the non-profit and private sectors.
Mr. Smith holds a BA degree in Music with a minor in Technical Writing and Communication from Nazareth University, and is an alumnus of McQuaid Jesuit High School. He spends what little spare time he has enjoying the great outdoors, traveling, and tinkering with retro and vintage computers.