Overcomplexity: meaning, definitions and examples

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overcomplexity

 

[ ˌoʊvərkəmˈpleksɪti ]

Context #1

in business

The state or quality of being excessively intricate or convoluted, often leading to inefficiency and confusion. Overcomplexity can hinder decision-making processes and slow down progress.

Synonyms

complexity, complication, convolution, entanglement

Examples of usage

  • The overcomplexity of the company's organizational structure resulted in communication breakdowns.
  • The overcomplexity of the new software caused delays in the project timeline.
Context #2

in design

The tendency to make something more complicated than necessary, often compromising functionality or aesthetics. Overcomplexity in design can detract from the user experience.

Synonyms

elaboration, ornateness, overengineering, verbosity

Examples of usage

  • The overcomplexity of the user interface confused first-time users.
  • The overcomplexity of the architecture made the building construction more challenging.

Translations

Translations of the word "overcomplexity" in other languages:

🇵🇹 complexidade excessiva

🇮🇳 अतिविकटता

🇩🇪 Überkomplexität

🇮🇩 kerumitan berlebihan

🇺🇦 перенасиченість складністю

🇵🇱 nadmierna złożoność

🇯🇵 過度な複雑さ

🇫🇷 surcomplexité

🇪🇸 sobracomplejidad

🇹🇷 aşırı karmaşıklık

🇰🇷 과도한 복잡성

🇸🇦 تعقيد مفرط

🇨🇿 přílišná složitost

🇸🇰 nadmerná zložitosť

🇨🇳 过度复杂性

🇸🇮 prekompleksnost

🇮🇸 ofurflækja

🇰🇿 шамадан тыс күрделілік

🇬🇪 ზედმეტი სირთულე

🇦🇿 həddindən artıq mürəkkəblik

🇲🇽 sobracomplejidad

Word origin

The word 'overcomplexity' is a combination of the prefix 'over-' meaning excessively or beyond and the noun 'complexity' meaning the state of being intricate or complicated. It first appeared in the English language in the mid-20th century as a descriptor for situations or systems that are unnecessarily convoluted. Over time, it has become commonly used in various fields, such as business, technology, and design, to highlight the drawbacks of excessive complexity. The concept of overcomplexity serves as a reminder to strive for simplicity and efficiency in processes and products.

See also: complex, complexify, complexity, complexly.