Management's relationship to complexity is clarified in this short piece based on revisiting basic definitions. No special domain expertise is required but the argument applies to all domains.

1. Complexity, Simplicity,
and Management

2. Simple
effect a1
Simple
effect a2
Complex
effect b1
Complex
effect b2
By definition, “complex” refers to a single EFFECT that exists only when
multiple parts are related, which can be true on demand or continually.
Complexity is valuable when
it allows a desired effect that
otherwise will not occur.
Recognizing
complexity
Low complexity is not the
same thing as simplicity.
In complexity, relationships
of parts range from being
complementary to critical.
The structural stability of a
complex condition depends
on how sensitive its parts
and relationships are to the
circumstances in which they
are exposed.

3. Management view of
effective quality
To a great degree, ordinary language captures
the essence of what distinguishes the
experiences of quality obtained with
“effectiveness”.
Of the four main experiences, managers are
nearly always held responsible for decreasing
inefficiency while also decreasing unnecessary
heaviness. Elegance is an ambition but is usually
predetermined by design, before management
begins. Crudeness is reserved by managers for
emergencies only.
But management is often required to choose
quality based on what is obtainable within limits
on time or other resources.
high
high
low
low
inefficient heavy
crude elegant
Differing types of obtainable effects
Levelofcomplexity Level of beneficial impact
© 2020 malcolm ryder / archestra research

4. Management view of sensitivity
The goal of a manager is to intentionally
conform events, as necessary, to a known
objective.
In that effort, the probability of an outcome that
is necessary may require complex supporting
effects, and that complexity can also increase
the difficulty of the effort.
Management needs to know whether a given
effect in question will be available (future) or is
changeable (current) through effort. The
underlying set of conditions will have more or
less structural stability along with some level of
dependency on obtainable circumstances.
This also means that managers must make
decisions about whether an effect needed in
given circumstances is tolerable and useful, per
its probable type, as seen at right.
high
high
low
low
volatile demanding
fragile robust
Differing types of obtainable effects
Dependency
(circumstantial) Stability
(structural)
© 2020 malcolm ryder / archestra research

5. Four relationships within complexity
An easy way to distinguish the parts in a complex effect is by thinking of them as
Roles. There is an actor present, but the actor must perform the role.
In a complex effect, actor X is responsible for the role “X”; actor Y for role “Y”.
And, one actor may affect another actor.
Additionally, roles may affect each other.
Material dependency
if A is present then
B can be “B”
if B is present then
A can be “A”
Incidental dependency
when A is “A”, B can
be “B”
when B is “B”, A can
be “A”
Provisional dependency
“A” causes “B”
or
“B” causes “A”
Reciprocal dependency
“A” causes “B”
and
“B” causes “A”
enabling/supportive partnered/agreed procedural/scripted systemic/synergetic
Prerequisites in effect Cooperations in effect
© 2020 malcolm ryder / archestra research

6. Complication versus Complexity
Since we know that complexity comes in a wide range of sensitivity, managing complex
situations is unlikely to be a “one-size-fits-all” exercise.
Managers must determine whether to intentionally influence the current relationship
between some circumstantial condition and a condition (part or relationship) within the
desired effect.
The opportunity to make a poor determination increases if the complexity is not correctly
understood, leading to inadequate sensitivity.
Inappropriate influence disorganizes what allows complexity to be coherent and usable.
The disorganization is what we mean by “complicated”. Complication almost invariably
increases management difficulty and, as a risk, also decreases the motivation to tolerate
beneficial complexity.
As a side effect, risk-averse insistence on simplicity may prevent necessary degrees of
complexity from being employed and leveraged.
Managers acting with inadequate understanding of, or respect for, complexity will make
complexity complicated where otherwise it was not.

7. Management Complexity
Management is about “effectiveness”... Management is working well when its
intentional influence avoids creating complication while protecting or improving
quality. Typically management can consider changing the circumstances of a desired
effect, the organization (structure) of the effect, or both to some calculated degree.
As a result, management sometimes requires a group or team to collaboratively
cover the key variables with sufficient knowledge and sensitivity.
Material dependency
Relationship:
Actor to Actor
Incidental dependency
Relationship:
Actor to Role
Provisional dependency
Relationship:
Role to Role
Reciprocal dependency
Relationship:
Role to Action
enabling  supportive partnered  agreed procedural  scripted systemic  synergetic
Prerequisites in effect (assure  enhance) Co-operations in effect (assure  enhance)
© 2020 malcolm ryder / archestra research

8. Archestra notebooks compile and organize decades of in-the-field and ongoing empirical findings.
All presented findings are derived exclusively from original research.
Archestra notebooks carry no prescriptive warranty.
As ongoing research, all notebooks are subject to change at any time.
©2020 Malcolm Ryder / Archestra Research
www.archestra.com
mryder@archestra.com
Archestra research is done from the perspective of strategy and architecture.
With all subject matter and topics, the purpose of the notes is analytic, primarily to:
* explore, expose and model why things are
included, excluded, or can happen
in given ways and/or to certain effects.
* comment on, and navigate between,
motives and potentials that predetermine
decisions about, and shapings of, the observed activity.