Manufacturing businesses face an inevitable tension: their operations are inherently complex, yet simplification drives efficiency and profitability.

Too often, companies fall into the trap of creating unnecessarily complicated systems that drain resources and confuse teams. Understanding where legitimate complexity exists—and where it doesn't—can transform your manufacturing operations.

THE "SPECIAL SNOWFLAKE" SYNDROME

One of the most common mistakes manufacturing companies make is believing their processes are entirely unique. This "special snowflake syndrome" leads organizations to abandon proven methodologies in favor of custom solutions that seem tailored to their specific needs.

Consider a typical scenario: a company implements an ERP system but insists their manufacturing process is so different that they need completely customized workflows. Instead of leveraging the battle-tested processes built into modern ERP systems, they create parallel systems that require separate training, maintenance, and troubleshooting.

The reality is that most manufacturing operations follow similar fundamental patterns: bills of materials drive demand, which gets fulfilled through planning systems, leading to make-versus-buy decisions, cost tracking, and shipping. While the details may vary, the core framework remains remarkably consistent across industries.

STRATEGIC COMPLEXITY MANAGEMENT: THE PIPELINE APPROACH

Rather than creating multiple custom processes, successful manufacturers identify exactly where variation occurs and handle complexity at that single point. Think of this as a data pipeline approach.

You want to shape your unique requirements to fit through proven systems, not rebuild the entire pipeline.

A customer of ours, a wine label manufacturer provides, an excellent example. Initially, they believed their slitting operations, roll tracking, and specialized lot requirements demanded a completely custom ERP implementation. However, analysis revealed that the complexity existed primarily in order entry, where multiple roll specifications had to be manually configured.

Instead of customizing the entire manufacturing workflow, the solution focused on streamlining order entry through automation. Once orders were properly configured, they flowed seamlessly through standard ERP processes for production planning, inventory management, and shipping.

This approach delivered the needed functionality while preserving the reliability and efficiency of proven systems.

THE HIDDEN COST OF PROCESS FLATTENING

Another common complexity trap involves "flattening" bill of materials structures to reduce administrative overhead. Companies often consolidate multiple manufacturing jobs into single operations to avoid the work of managing individual work orders and transactions.

While this appears to simplify operations, it actually creates new problems. Flattened bills eliminate valuable cost visibility, making it impossible to understand profitability at the component level. Even worse, this approach often forces engineering teams to restructure their designs around manufacturing convenience, driving complexity back into the design process where it doesn't belong.

The more effective solution addresses the root cause: if closing multiple work orders creates administrative burden, implement automation to handle those closures rather than eliminating the valuable data structure that enables proper cost tracking and planning.

BALANCING INNOVATION WITH PROVEN PRACTICES

Manufacturing leaders must navigate a delicate balance between questioning existing processes and respecting the accumulated wisdom built into established systems. This requires what systems theorists call "informed skepticism"—the ability to challenge assumptions while understanding why current processes exist.

Before making changes, ask two critical questions: What specific problem am I trying to solve, and where exactly does that problem occur in my current process? Often, companies discover that their "unique" challenges can be addressed through targeted improvements rather than wholesale system redesigns.

THE VALUE OF INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE

The complexity of modern manufacturing makes industry expertise invaluable during system implementations. Consultants who have worked on shop floors, managed ERPs, and lived with manufacturing challenges bring pattern recognition that pure software vendors cannot match.

This experience helps distinguish between legitimate complexity that requires special handling and perceived complexity that stems from unfamiliarity with available solutions. Companies benefit from working with teams who have solved similar problems multiple times and can recommend approaches that balance customization with proven practices.

MAKING COMPLEXITY WORK FOR YOU

Successful manufacturers recognize that some complexity is inevitable and even beneficial. The key is ensuring that complexity serves a purpose—creating competitive advantage, enabling unique value propositions, or supporting genuine business requirements.

When evaluating process complexity, consider whether it helps differentiate your business in the marketplace. If your manufacturing capabilities enable you to serve customers in ways competitors cannot, that complexity may be worth preserving and optimizing. However, complexity that exists simply because "that's how we've always done it" deserves scrutiny.

Start by mapping your current manufacturing processes and identifying where variation actually occurs. Look for patterns that match standard industry workflows, and question whether your perceived differences truly require custom solutions.

When you do encounter legitimate complexity, focus on containing it rather than allowing it to spread throughout your systems. Design interfaces that translate your unique requirements into standard formats that proven systems can handle effectively.

Remember that simplification is not about making everything simple. It's about making complex things as simple as possible while preserving their essential value.

By applying this principle systematically, manufacturers can build operations that are both sophisticated and manageable, complex where necessary and streamlined everywhere else.