KEEP IT SIMPLE !!!

I have to admit something. I have always had a tendency to over complicate matters.

Having a background in Computer Science did not prepare me for simplifying things. It is much to easy to develop wonderfully complicated solutions to problems. After all that is what they taught me in college. Everyone knows that we computer people are into those MIS and DSS things aren't they. By the way that translates into Management Information Systems and Decision Support Systems for those of you not fluent in computerese.

A very good friend of mine told me that there was a missed opportunity in my way of thinking. The problem was that I was using complex means to solve symptoms of problems rather than the real problems. At the time I was not sure that I was prepared for that realization. You see I was very proud of some of the complex solutions I had helped develop. Some of these solutions were so complex that by the time we finally could put them to use we had almost forgotten what the original problem was anyway. Besides, the original problem seemed small compared to the new problems that our complex solutions caused.

That day is one of the most memorable experiences in my adult life. It changed my perspective forever.

Today, I always determine what the real problem is rather than cure the symptoms. Ninety nine percent of the time the problem is not what it was first perceived to be.

This is really no earth shaking news, every child holds the key to this in their hand. How many times have your children asked you "WHY" things are the way they are.

SIMPLY ask "WHY".

Try this the next time you feel the need to over complicate the issue. You will be surprised how simple the solution really is.