The Difference Between Complex and Complicated

Take a look at these two pictures below. Which is complex and which is complicated?

Or maybe you're asking, "Don't complex and complicated mean the same thing?"

Ah ha. Not neccessarily. They're not always the same thing. And it's a very interesting subtlety that defines the difference. 

A complicated system has many connected and related parts and importantly, it is difficult to understand. 

A complex system however also has many interacting parts but it has simple individual rules that deliver versatile emergent properties. 

In the example of a flock of birds, two simple rules might control the overall system; alignment of flight direction in comparison to the nearest bird and distance between neighbouring birds. These two variables are all that's needed to understand and change the system.

Complicated systems have many more variables.

One of my favourite sayings is "complicated problems do not need complicated solutions".

If you can identify the simple drivers that control emergent behaviour, you can focus on these simple changes. Complicated can be transformed to complex.

The more complicated you make a machine they more likely it will fail.

The same with business processes. 

Complicated problems are best solved with simple solutions.