By John Gall
A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a simple system that worked. A complex system designed from scratch never works and cannot be patched up to make it work. You have to start over, beginning with a working simple system.
— John Gall
John Gall, Systemantics: How Systems Work and Especially How They Fail (1975).
This principle, sometimes called “Gall’s Law”, is a rule of thumb for systems design.
See also: No Obvious Deficiencies and Complexity vs Sophistication
Being Spartan with Ideas
Do you leave your ideas to fend for themselves in the wild or keep them in a safe place?
The Far Side of Complex
How do we get beyond complexity?