Complicated and complexity

The most recent Team Human is full of thoughtful conversation. One thing which made me think is what Douglas said about roundabouts/traffic circles. and recognizing complex things vs true complexity (google live transcribed, so not perfect)

…another key great insight from the book is, the way you explain the difference between, complicated things and true complexity the way that I’ve always talked to people about it, is  in the in the West in America, we have traffic lights, and it’s very complicated all our traffic lights turning red and green and all the electricity and switching systems.

And a traffic circle is actually complex, you know, it requires just a little bit of coordination and cooperation between people but then you’ve got everybody going around this circle and getting exactly where they need to so much better and more fluid. .

The complication of the American traffic system blew my mind when I traveled around the states. Lots of start stop and lots of trying to beat the lights. Its clear roundabouts are safer, more efficient but they do require coordination and collaboration. They are complicated but not complex.

Author: Ianforrester

Senior firestarter at BBC R&D, emergent technology expert and serial social geek event organiser. Can be found at cubicgarden@mas.to, cubicgarden@twit.social and cubicgarden@blacktwitter.io

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