Understanding the difference between a complicated problem and a complex one is important for today’s leaders. They require different strategies and tools that are largely not interchangeable. Sometimes a problem will morph from one state to the other—either from complicated to complex, or vice versa—so you’ll need to be ready to adapt your strategies and tools accordingly. So what are the differences? A recent Harvard Business Review article by Gokce Sargut and Rita Gunther McGrath offers these distinctions:

Over the next two posts, we will explore the enterprise architecture as an enabler of analytics. Most public sector organizations are all too aware of the incoming flood of information that they face on a daily basis in the form of both structured and unstructured data.  This information explosion has the potential to both overwhelm an agency’s internal systems and create management challenges that can hinder the execution of the agency’s charter.   Analytics drives intelligent decision making and helps predict future outcomes

In our last post, we initiated conversations on the current federal analytics strategy and the important role analytics plays in helping department and agency leaders use better data to make informed decisions and improve operational performance, while reducing costs. Today, our focus is on the role technology in effort to better link data. Information Technology (IT) role to better link data

In our blogs last week, we discussed the vision of analytics in the future and the three key principles government agencies will need to apply to dramatically reduce costs and drive performance improvement.

Robert A. F. Reisner is the President of Transformation Strategy Inc., a boutique strategy consulting firm that works with global firms and specialists in multiple disciplines to fashion creative solutions for clients in the public and private sectors. He is the author of “When a Turnaround Stalls” in the Harvard Business Review (February 2002) and numerous technical papers on issues ranging from strategic planning to innovation to institutional transformation.

“Synergy” is thought by many to be merely a buzz word reserved for cantankerous discussions on business news radio, but with little literal meaning. When applied in an appropriate context, however, “synergy” can have both significant meaning and significant value for organizations in the public and private sectors alike.

Energy efficiency, according to the 2010 IBM Eco-Efficiency Jam, is one of the five key themes foremost in the minds of public and private enterprise leaders as they currently grapple within their movement to more eco-efficient operations. As most of you are aware, Jams provide an internet-based platform for large population of individuals to interact in real time to spur innovation and develop actionable ideas around business-critical or urgent societal issues.

Harvey Koeppel is Executive Director of the Center for CIO Leadership. In this capacity, Harvey sets the Center’s strategy and directs internaland external operations. He also serves as Chairman of the Center’s Advisory Committee.

Dr. Satish Nambisan is a widely-recognized researcher and thought-leader in the broad areas of entrepreneurship & innovation management. He is Professor of Entrepreneurship & Technology Management in the Management department at the Sheldon B. Lubar School of Business, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He also holds a joint position as Professor of Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering in the College of Engineering & Applied Sciences at UWM.