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The Newsletter | Edition 028
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In our Off-White Papers, we provide practical guidance on how to respond to our rapidly-changing world. This weekly newsletter explores those topics in real-time, with information and action steps on how to make progress now.
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...BEAUTIFUL COMPLEXITY.
It is a cliche, but the world is growing ever more complex. While we try to "keep it simple," there is a place for embracing complexity. Complex is not the same as complicated. So how are people embracing the beauty of complexity and succeeding?
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Breaking away from minimalism, from Katie Driscoll
- Humanity in systems thinking, from Meron Medhanie
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Investing in learning the steep curve, from Steven Ebert
And this time, our illustrations from Ash Casper. |
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THOUGHTFULLY MAXIMALIST
From Katie Driscoll |
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TL;DR
In case you missed it, at the end of January, Twitter updated its visual identity. Leveraging paint-splattered photography, ripped up posters, scratched out words and faded images, this new identity hopes to "fully reflect the complexity, fluidity and power of the conversations today," says Leslie Berland, Twitter's Chief Marketing Officer.
WHY IT MATTERS
After years of chasing clean design, white space and subdued palettes, more and more brands are looking to break away from minimalist tropes and diversify with thoughtful complexity. From interior design (check out this Critical Nonsense episode) to tech to fashion, maximalist approaches are not just refreshing, but allow for much deeper, layered, and nuanced storytelling. In a cultural moment that is nothing short of messy, why not take a cue from Twitter and let your brand show up in a way that acknowledges (and even reflects) this complexity?
ONE THING YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW
Identify one complex thing that could be folded into your brand story to add depth and nuance.
THOUGHTS
Intentional complexity is key. It's not just about adding layers for layers sake, but about interrogating and understanding the complexities surrounding your brand-its history, its biases, its unfinished parts, even its flaws. Then, thoughtfully work towards telling a deeper story, whether that be through design, language, or the product itself. |
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LET'S GET IN FORMATION
From Meron Medhanie |
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TL;DR
Understanding the interconnected nature of our most complex problems requires organization. This cautionary tale breaks down systems thinking and signals the importance of taking a systems approach.
WHY IT MATTERS
Whether it's systems thinking or systems engineering, an interdisciplinary approach to solving our most complex problems can help us design more inclusive and equitable practices. This article from The Conversation makes the case for embedding techniques from systems engineering aircrafts and spacecrafts into public health, particularly at a time when COVID-19 has unearthed many broken, interconnected systems. Central in the systems engineering approach are human factors considerations, such as trust building, considering historical context, and taking a community-led approach.
ONE THING YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW
Identify every team within your organization who touches the problem you're seeking to solve and bring them together to take a more collaborative approach to problem solving.
TIPS ON ORGANIZING
From Rocket Scientists: "A perspective on how people can organize to address complex problems that involve many groups of people."
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Define requirements: Identify stakeholders and the key benefits this plan provides
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Create the relevant committees and assign responsibilities: Identify a small task force to outline an overarching approach breaking down the overall effort into its component parts
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Create the relevant subcommittees and assign responsibilities: Have each committee outline its approach to its sub-problem and create sub-sub committees if necessary
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Work the plan: Orchestrate coordinators' efforts to avert missteps and enhance synergies between other groups.
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Integrate proposals from every committee: Evaluate individual solutions as a whole before approving the committee's integrated, overall solution.
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Support rollout: First small scale, then ramp up slowly as all are trained to understand their responsibilities
A caveat: This method can be slowed down by inefficiencies and can be held up by key decision makers. To help prevent this, consider applying this method to specific initiatives made up of a smaller team. Also consider that each step doesn't require the same amount of time or effort or coordination. Lastly, empower your taskforce to make decisions to keep the project moving when key decision makers are unavailable. |
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BROADER USES, STEEPER CURVES
From Steven Ebert |
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TL;DR
The crypto world is abuzz this week after Pak, a "crypto artist," launched an NFT-based auction that recreates Michelangelo's "The Creation." If those words don't mean anything to you, welcome to the Progress Report Newsletter 028, where we talk about the benefits of complexity!
WHY IT MATTERS
NFTs (non-fungible tokens) offer new upsides to those willing to ascend the blockchain learning curve, with exciting use cases for ownership, collectability, rights protection for creators, and more. These broader applications also pose downsides, like the example above, which many argue is a transparent money grab (and rip off existing ideas like Million Dollar Homepage or, more recently, MSCHF's Severed Spots).
ONE THING YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW
Explore the benefits (and downsides) of a steeper learning curve.
TIPS & THOUGHTS
The inherent benefit to complexity is for the broader use cases it can offer to those who put in the time to use it. Adobe Illustrator allows for more robust creation than MS Paint because of the complexity of its interface; hedge funds allow for more robust investments than retail investors because of the complexity of their financial instruments. Ascending a steep learning curve is more expensive because it burns resources like time, but it also allows for greater output. Consider the value of more complex tools within your organization - just be aware of the downsides (time investment, siloing expertise) so that you can be prepared for and mitigate them! |
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