The document discusses the Cynefin framework's four domains - simple, complicated, complex, and chaotic. It uses a "lock and key" metaphor to help explain the implications of problems that fall within each domain. For the complex domain, it suggests that discovering patterns within a complex problem can help progressively address its "wicked" nature. The overall intent is to help readers better understand how to classify and respond to different problem types represented by the four Cynefin domains.

1. Volatility Uncertainty Complexity Ambiguity
Level
3,
IBM
Tower
60
City
Rd,
Southbank
VIC
3006
www.vucaconcepts.com.au
The
accompanying
slides
show
the
four
domains
of
the
Cynefin
framework.
They
also
borrow
from
the
‘Lock
&
Key’
metaphor
introduced
recently
by
Dr
Ali
Anani
on
the
LinkedIn
‘Complexity
in
Organisa7ons’
group.
As
noted
by
Ali,
many
people
find
it
difficult
to
understand
the
implicaLons
flowing
from
these
four
problem
arenas.
I
offer
for
consideraLon
this
extension
of
the
metaphor.

2. SIMPLE
CHAOTIC
COMPLICATED
COMPLEX
THE
FOUR
CYNEFIN
DOMAINS

3. Entry
in
the
company
SOP
Manual
This
key
can
be
found
hanging
on
the
back
of
the
canteen
door…
It
opens
the
red
&
black
lock
to
the
pantry…
SIMPLE
I
suggest
that
the
Simple
and
Chao,c
domains,
as
presented
below,
speak
for
themselves.
CHAOTIC
“The
building
is
on
fire.
All
these
doors
are
locked
and
we
have
no
keys.”

4. COMPLICATED
“I’ve
lost
the
key
for
this
lock.
It
was
the
only
key
we
had,
and
the
lock
is
a
technically
very
complicated
mechanism.
What
are
we
going
to
do?”
Regarding
the
Complicated,
my
explanaLon
is
as
follows:
“While
none
of
us
present
may
know
how
to
deal
with
the
situa7on
at
hand,
a
professional
locksmith
will
get
it
open.
Let’s
call
one!”

5. “Can
someone
please
open
all
these
locks.
The
right
keys
are
somewhere
in
these
four
bunches!”
COMPLEX
On
the
face
of
it
this
looks
like
a
very
messy
situaLon,
which
it
is
–
certainly
if
we
mulLplied
the
number
of
locks
and
key
bunches
by
an
order,
say,
of
10.
But,
applying
good
Complexity
Management
prac7ce,
we
ask
the
ques7on:
“Are
there
any
paIerns
discernible
here”?
On
further
probing,
we
discover
the
following:
1.
There
are
three
different
lock
colours.
2.
Some
of
the
locks
are
hanging
upside
down
(for
whatever
reason).
3.
On
examining
the
four
bunches
of
keys
we
discover
that
each
individual
key
is
numbered.
4.
On
further
inves7ga7on
we
discover
that
all
the
locks
with
numbers
beginning
with
the
digit
1
open
all
the
yellow
locks;
those
beginning
with
3
open
all
the
purple
ones;
those
beginning
with
9
open
the
red-­‐black
locks;
those
beginning
with
the
two
digit-­‐sequence
3-­‐2
open
all
upside
down
locks,
irrespec7ve
of
colour!
My
explanaVon:
Discovering
these
paXerns
will
help
us
progressively
tame
the
‘wickedness’
of
the
complex
problem!

6. Volatility Uncertainty Complexity Ambiguity
Level
3,
IBM
Tower
60
City
Rd,
Southbank
VIC
3006
www.vucaconcepts.com.au
HOPE
THESE
THOUGHTS
HELP
YOU
IN
UNRAVELLING
THE
COMPLEXITY
OF
‘COMPLEXITY’.
Robert robert.flynn@vucaconcepts.com.au