Complex systems have multiple points of failure
Summary
- Complex systems have multiple points of failure
Details
- Complex messages likewise may fail for the same reason.
- The probability of overall failure is high if there are many essential components
References
Quotes
Complex systems fail because they have multiple points of possible failure, and complex messages fall apart the same way. Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman and his longtime collaborator Amos Tversky explain: “A complex system, such as a nuclear reactor or the human body, will malfunction if any of its essential components fails. Even when the likelihood of failure in each component is slight, the probability of an overall failure can be high if many components are involved.”8
Related
- The continued existence of complex interactive systems depends upon preventing the maximisation of any variable - Bateson
- Any fool can make things bigger and more complex - Albert Einstein
- I believe the way toward mastery of any endeavor is to work toward simplicity- replace complex technology with knowledge - Yvon Chouinard