……..stands for “Keep it simple, stupid!”
The race to put a man on the moon proves that forgetting the KISS formula can waste a great deal of time and money. In the 60s the US spent millions of dollars perfecting a pen with a built in pump to work in zero gravity. The Russians, on the other hand, spent a few roubles on a box of pencils!
The temptation to overcomplicate was also demonstrated by the matchbox company threatened with ruin after a doubling in the cost of the striking strips it used on both sides of its boxes. Its brightest scientists tried to invent a cheaper strip, but failed. Then one of its most junior employees came up with a suggestion that literally cut costs in half… only put a striking strip on one side of the matchbox!
Don’t let your enthusiasm for leading-edge solutions blind you to the obvious. Simple low-tech systems, processes and solutions often work much more effectively. They are also much quicker, easier and cheaper to implement. So, where possible, keep it simple.
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