Overcomplication

Abstract

The wealth of possibilities opened up by the potential use of data transmission facilities has the disadvantage of putting temptation in the way of systems designers. Subtlety and sophistication can be laudable goals, but are rarely achieved at the first attempt. They are better left as the last step in a series of simpler progressions. Yet the authors have seen many projects fail because of overcomplication of the system; certainly oversimplication is almost never the cause of problems.