Are you bigger than the complexity
I’ve just been in San Francisco and rode in a Waymo – the autonomous taxi service with no driver.
The cars are fitted out with sensors all over the place – GPS, LiDAR, cameras, range finding. It handled weaving cyclists, unpredictable pedestrians and all sorts of erratic driver behaviour with a calm precision.
While the first Waymo drive can be unnerving, the vehicle’s screens show you what the sensors are picking up, which adds comfort that the car recognises everything and more than a normal driver.
This is a great example of requisite variety: that to manage a complex, dynamic environment, your system must be at least as varied and responsive as the challenges it faces.
Or put simply: you need to be bigger than the complexity you're trying to navigate.
Have you got the right sensors?
When it comes to operating in complexity, you need to make sure there is sufficient variety in the information feeds you are getting to manage the project.
We can fall into the trap of using overly simplistic models, such as Gantt charts, scope documents, and standard progress metrics. These tools bring comfort, but in dynamic environments, they lack the nuance to get above the noise.
We often know what’s happening before validating it with data. That knowing comes from the relationships established throughout the project, which are invaluable when you need to act in the face of ambiguity.
Bigger than the complexity
Just as a Waymo uses multiple sensing modes to navigate unpredictability and emergence, you need a richer mental model to understand complexity.
This means embracing a broader perspective and a more adaptive approach to problem-solving. You need to be able to connect with the broader environment and operate beyond the boundaries of the immediate problem.
For example, if you are implementing a new asset management system you need to cover more than the technical details of the new system and processes. To be effective you need to be connected with all impacted parts of the business and ideally the overall direction of asset management concepts in the industry.
Building the capability
When buried in detail, we miss the big picture. It's like trying to fix a traffic jam while stuck inside one of the cars.
To build the requisite variety for a project:
Step back and scan the landscape – What broader dynamics are at play? (e.g., dedicate weekly "big picture" sessions.)
Engage diverse perspectives – No single viewpoint sees the whole. (e.g., intentionally seek out opinions from different departments or seniority levels.)
Use a variety of tools – Sometimes it’s a conversation; sometimes it’s a dashboard.
Stay adaptive – Rigid systems snap in complex terrain. (e.g., review and adjust your approach when new information emerges.)
Bigger than the problem
Requisite variety isn't about simply adding more resources or metrics. Instead, it's about expanding your capacity and perspective to truly be bigger than the complexity you're trying to navigate.
To effectively manage a dynamic environment, your approach must be as varied and responsive as the challenges it presents.
In complexity, pattern recognition and shared stories carry real weight. It pays to be more curious, more connected, and more reflective than the problem itself. Consider these questions:
Can you see the whole system?
Do you have good sensors for the things that are hard to measure?
Do you take the time to step back to test your assumptions on a regular basis?
If the challenge is big, your thinking has to be bigger.
