When I started to discuss accidental complexity on the architectural level in my “Simplify!” blog series, I quickly realized that I needed to discuss Open Source Software (OSS) first as it often acts as a driver of accidental complexity on the architectural level today.

With the previous post, we finished discussing the complexity drivers and mitigation options “above” the technology level. Starting with this post, we will discuss the technology level and “below”.

In the previous post of this series I started to discuss drivers on the project level that lead to accidental complexity regarding unnecessary requirements that do not add any value to the solution.

In the previous post of this series I discussed some drivers on the company level that (among other things) cause a lot of accidental complexity in IT. The drivers were not understanding IT and its role today.

In the previous post of this series, we looked at post-industrial markets and digital transformation as external market-based drivers that create pressure on companies and their IT departments. We also have seen how not understanding these drivers usually leads to counter-productive responses that ultimately make things worse instead better.