Saturday, April 10, 2010

Hidden costs of complexity in the enterprise


Often is the case when consuming fresh evidence that the truism is reconfirmed: what is not visible is far greater than what is; in terms of opportunity, risk, and cost. Few concepts are so profoundly transformative when this string of characters begins to take shape in the mind’s eye.
Unlike biological evolution where logical adaptation occurs over many generations, the dominant complex systems on earth today are driven by technology, evolving very rapidly, and of course subject to human manipulation.

From competitive advantage to utility tax

Similar to healthcare, education, and finance where complexity creep has been manipulated for long periods until surpassing sustainability, enterprise software has become primarily a game of ‘heads I win; tails you lose’ for those paying the bills. While the first generation of enterprise software provided a strong competitive advantage to early adopters, the bulk of systems have long since resembled a tax on admission.

Go here to read balance of extensive piece:

http://kyield.wordpress.com/2010/04/07/hidden-costs-of-complexity-in-the-enterprise/