The Hilariously Large Straw

Standing at the movie concession stand, I encountered something that perfectly exemplifies "incidental complexity"—a concept designers and product teams would do well to remember. The concession had three cup sizes: small, medium, and hilariously large. I ordered a medium soda, grabbed a straw, and was taken aback by its absurd length. Only then did I notice two distinct straw sizes: one normal-sized for small and medium cups, and one extra-long for the massive cup.

Here's where the concept of incidental complexity comes into play. Initially, the concession stand probably had three sizes of cups, all served by one standard straw. But the ordinary straw wasn't quite cutting it when they introduced the extra-large option. So, they added a longer straw to the lineup, which meant tracking an entirely new SKU for this one product—a ripple effect of increased cost, stocking considerations, and complexity for employees.

This small change might seem insignificant, but the concession stand doubled the straw inventory's complexity. The more "surface area" your product or service has, the more complexity you'll need to support it. Even though this complexity is incidental, it can snowball into higher costs and maintenance burdens.

The lesson here? Design systems with the long view in mind. Keep product "surface area" lean and avoid unnecessary variants that add complexity over time. Incidental complexity is stealthy, creeping into products as "solutions" to minor problems that we think need to be solved right now. Instead, consider whether the solution is really required or if the product can flex to avoid additional complexity.

Steve Berry
Principal, Thought Merchants