Complexity should be governed as an investment with an owner, benefit and expiration—not accepted as the residue of local choices.

Local flexibility creates shared cost

A custom package, report or workflow may secure one outcome while adding training, data, service and control requirements across several teams. The requesting function rarely sees the full carrying cost.

Make the carrying cost visible

Measure exception volume, rework, systems touched, specialized knowledge and delay. This creates an economic basis for simplifying, standardizing or intentionally funding valuable variety.

Give complexity an expiration

Temporary exceptions become permanent because no review is scheduled. Every material exception should have an owner, rationale, review date and path to standardization or removal.