The ‘Universal’ Decomposition

The notion of a single, “universal” decomposition for all purposes is a misconception. Different perspectives and objectives necessitate different decompositions. Decompositions are goal-oriented: we create them for a certain goal, to help us with a certain problem or question. And they are context related. The examples above show this: the engineering example and the shipping example originate from the same company working on a single product.

It is important to stress the fact that a universal decomposition is a misconception, because it can create significant obstacles like:

• Confirmation Bias: Once someone invests time and effort in creating a specific decomposition, they tend to favor it. This confirmation bias makes it difficult to objectively evaluate alternative approaches.

• Cognitive Rigidity: Deeply ingrained thinking patterns and expertise can limit the ability to see problems from new perspectives. When someone has spent years working with a particular decomposition, it becomes their “mental model,” making it hard to consider other valid approaches.

• Communication Barriers: Different decompositions often reflect different perspectives, priorities, and goals. If individuals are too attached to their own decomposition, it can hinder effective communication and collaboration.

• Resistance to Change: Change can be disruptive, and people naturally resist changes to their established ways of thinking and working. This resistance can make it difficult to adopt new decompositions, even if they offer significant advantages.

The universal decomposition notion often leads to long discussions where people try to convince each other of the ‘best solution’. Understanding that there will almost always be multiple decompositions, and that they are goal-oriented and context dependent helps to reduce these, often fruitless, discussions.