We've seen these quotes so many times. The one on the left is probably false, but it summarizes a concept that Einstein has reportedly expressed. The one on the right is accurate. Both geniuses have often expressed themselves about the importance of simplicity, and the clarity of Feynman's lessons has achieved legendary status.
But no, Einstein never thought that he could explain relativity, neither special nor general, to a six-year-old.
Let's play a little game: was it a good beginning for the newsletter? What would you suggest to make it stronger?
According to this study, I should expect you to suggest adding something: when we try to make things better (and projects, most of the time, have this kind of aspiration), it is very common to imagine new features to add.
Improvement by subtraction, on the other hand, is systematically overlooked.
We all value simplification, yet we seem to forget about its potential.
Why? I can only guess some reasons why we prefer addition.
It's funnier. Making proposals to add something is an opportunity to express our creativity and provide a personal touch: the activity is enjoyable and rewarding by itself.
It's easier to achieve. When we add a feature, we assume that the original characteristics are preserved, and we build on top of them. But, in order to simplify something, we need a good comprehension of it. Will it still work, after we removed one of its components? Will it be reliable and durable?
It's more visible. Evidence of previous additions is visible and provides a reminder of their creation, while the evidence of simplification can only be seen in comparison with the previous state, making it much easier to forget.
Links
Adams, Converse, Hales and Klotz explain how the experiments were conducted and suggest a few ways to overcome the tendency to add.
The tendency to add even more than it was initially agreed has a specific name in project management, and it is one of the most frequent causes of project failure [PDF].
Critical Path cooking
What is the simplest way to write a recipe? I struggled for years to find it, then - one day - the realization came: the Gantt chart, of course!
Here is an easy one, with a very basic concept to illustrate: end-to-end dependencies.
Scope creep
Additional perspectives to Project Management, trespassing into other fields.
Books
Addition and subtraction are two possible strategies for improvement. Milan Kundera, in his novel "Immortality", uses them as "two methods for cultivating the uniqueness of the self". How do we apply them to our professional profiles?
(if you want to know more about the book but don't feel like diving into a pool of melancholy, have a look at this excellent review)
Music
The one-note-song. Can it get any simpler?
Misquote of the month
I've opened with a quote (actually, two) so this time it's a forced choice:
Up Next
The goal of a project can be a simplification, and the methods that need to be applied are always the same - whether the result is an addition (something that didn't exist before) or a subtraction (such as a new, simpler process to replace an old, cumbersome one).
How do different methodologies address those two kinds of projects? Are there methodologies that are better suited to achieve simplification goals?
Last things last
This space is new. The sections are a starting point, and I'm bursting with ideas to expand them and open new ones. Again, improvement by addition: but I'm open to suggestions for improvements by both adding... and subtracting things.