Simple Architectures for Complex Enterprises

Chapter 2. A First Look at Complexity

We don’t need to look very far to find complexity. It is all around us. It is in the stores at which we shop, the organizations to which we belong, and the enterprises at which we work.

In general, it is easy to understand how things get more complex. If you have a bucket of stuff and add more stuff to the bucket, the bucket becomes more complex. As the bucket becomes more complex, it becomes more difficult to manage the bucket.

Any parent knows that the more children whose needs you are trying to juggle, the more harried your life becomes. A large department store with thousands of items for sale is more difficult to manage than a small coffee shop with dozens of items for sale. A group with 30 people has more ...