Bonus Monday Post!

I know, I know, I said I'd post on Tuesdays and Thursdays... but I get impatient sometimes and want to say things ahead of schedule, so once again you get a free Monday Bonus Post - no extra charge!

Several recent conversations and experiences have once again confirmed in my mind the primacy of simplicity as a systems engineering / programmatic / technical / leadership principle (pick your genre). Time and again, complexity eats our lunch, wastes our time and generally makes things stink.

The worst part is, so much of the complexity we face is self-inflicted. No, wait, that's not really the worst part. The really worst pat is that it's deliberately self-inflicted. Not only do we do it to ourselves, we do it to ourselves on purpose. And we think it's a good idea... and then we're confused when the yogurt hits the fan, as Tom Peters says.

See, all too often we equate complexity with sophistication. We think adding more features, parts & functions makes the thing better. We miss out on the opportunity to leave something simple... or to make it simple. All too often, simplicity isn't a goal. We aim for complexity... and we hit it.

So once again, I'd like to invite you, my internets friends, to download your FREE copy of The Simplicity Cycle, over on the Rogue Press. And then pass it around to your internets friends, so they too can read it and ponder the cost and the value of complexity.

Actually, strike that. I've never said this before, but here goes : I'd like you to actually buy a copy. 

Yes, yes, I've always discouraged people from paying money for this book. I give it away free because I want to make the idea as accessible as possible. I've poo-poo'd the idea of buying the dead-tree version. But the truth is, I personally love reading books on paper. And when I get an electronic book, I tend to either not read it or I misplace it, accidentally delete it, etc. With a paper copy, you're more likely to keep it, read it, flip through it again at odd times, or share it with a friend. Thus, my decision to encourage you to pick one up.

I hope you'll pardon this shameless commercial plug. And of course, the free PDF version is still available, if you don't have one yet. But I think it would be really great if you'd pick up a hardcopy of The Simplicity Cycle. Your team will thank you.