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Having a simple solution is better than having a perfect solution. People are constantly in danger of over-complicating solutions. Here is how you can simplify things and make them more elegant and easier to understand.
The world is complex. When creating a project or coding a system, it is super important to document your work. Commenting and reminding yourself of certain tips and tricks is helpful for you down the road. You should put 2-3 lines of comments for every line of code to make it less complex and increase your ability to return to the code later on and still understand how to use it efficiently. Plus, if you comment as you’re creating, the code will be fresh in your mind and make more sense than it will at any other point in time.
We can make things a little over the top. We’re human — it happens!
The best way to know if you have over-complicated a project is to explain it to someone. If you launch into a long narrative and need to explain every little detail in order for the person to make sense of what you have created, then it is probably too difficult to actually implement or be used in your business by other people. If so, it is time to step back and rework your project in order to be simple and easier to understand.
It’s easy to get distracted by the possibility of creating something cool and forget to ask yourself if the process needs to be automated in the first place.
Look at your process. Can you explain it in less than 30 seconds? If not, it might be time to take the big, complicated process and take steps to simplify so your business can more-easily manage the system.
Understand the ins and outs of your process so you can let your company and other employees know what it is and how it is solving problems. Once everyone understands the process or system being used, your business will flourish.
Have your IT professionals take a look at the process your business professionals are using and vice versa. There may be an easier solution or tool that can simplify both profession’s ways of doing things in order to make everyone more efficient.
Once things are easier, you can sell more, onboard new clients and have more time to dedicate to other, more important things.
The best thing to keep in mind is the plan that is going to work is the one that you have in front of you. You will not always be able to make your process simple right away — you might have to use a complicated system if it is the only one available to you. But, there is always the ability to go back and simplify over time.
Complexity crushes our ability to talk to people and it takes up time. Write down what you’re doing as you’re doing it, explain it to someone else so that they understand what you’re doing and know that you can always go back and simplify as you learn and grow with the system.