Strive to be an old-style microwave oven

One never hears the terms "simple" or "straightforward" in connection with IT project failures. Courtesy of Coding Horror, here's a visual demonstration showing how so-called improvements can turn wonderful simplicity into painful complexity.

The old-style microwave oven uses a single, easy to understand, dial:

Now, check out the modern, "improved" microwave:

If your project feels too complicated, then it's probably become overly-complex. Find a way to simplify, because things typically get worse if you don't. When it comes to IT projects, simplicity is the enemy of failure.