Keep it Simple and Practical

Keep it simple and practical means achieving the required outcome with the fewest steps and eliminating anything that does not add value, because the more complex a system is, the less reliable it is and the harder it is to fix. John Sansbury sub-titles the principle 'Less is More' in his training courses.

• Focus on outcomes as the basis of value. Despite seeming obvious, the principle is often ignored: the IT world offers many examples of unnecessary complexity and over-engineering, and projects are frequently over-specified. Applying it can help stakeholders realise a solution has more functionality than they need.
• Prefer general rules to special cases. When dealing with exceptions, it is better to find one general rule than to write separate rules for every exception.
• Build a minimum viable product first. The principle is reflected in the idea of building a simpler initial working solution, then adding functionality if and when required. It draws on elements of Lean and Agile.
• Simple solutions are easier to support. There is less to fail, and diagnosing and fixing faults is easier when something does go wrong. A lateral thinking story makes the point: given two planks and two pieces of string to cross a room without touching the floor, most competitors tied a plank to each foot and 'skied', while the smartest tied one plank to one foot and hopped across in half the time. Having assets available does not mean the best solution uses them all.