Complex VS Complexity (As it relates to content systems)

Jan '23 (edited) in 🎥 Content

A lot of us seek systems to get things done (and to enable quality at scale).

I do too, I'd call myself a systems guy! but over the years I've also resisted systems, in some ways I've grown to hate them as much as I love them.

The key is to remember systems need to solve real problems. To help.

But they can also create problems by making things ridged and brittle.

They can remove all the creativity from the process. Forcing people to check boxes, move statuses, and conform to a set of rules.

I've also had a few recent experiences that reinforced these thoughts.

I was chatting with Sam Oven in the Quantum mastermind. I was seeking more information on the way to create the "perfect" system. Was there a great book on the subject? He countered with a book on how systems can destroy companies. "Systems are only as good as the people that run them," he said.

It makes so much sense when you think about it.

Then I was listening to a Joe Rogan podcast, he was talking to a farmer. He talked about complex systems vs systems that had complexity.

The farmer (I forgot his name) talked about how nature was very complex. All these different organisms and systems mixing together, working together. But in nature, nothing relies on one thing to work. When one thing fails, other things move in and pick up the slack, or the systems changes, it evolves.

As opposed to the food industry, which has a lot of complexity. Systems to produce the food, kill bugs and harvest it. All the logistics of moving food from one place to another. If anyone of those systems breaks, everything stops!

The same is true for your content workflow. Complex systems with humans that are passionate about what you're doing can pick up the slack when the system breaks. But too much technology can create complexity. A rigid system that zaps (no pun intended) the creative process and can break when something isn't working.

Or worse it can pump out bad content.

Content only works when it's good stuff.

So use technology to help, streamline where possible, and automate where possible. But don't kill the creative process (in the process).

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