Understanding the Complexity of Modern Technology with Samuel Arbesman | Overcomplicated

Posted 3 days ago Tagged

In this episode, we explore the intricate world of modern technology with Samuel Arbesman, author of Overcomplicated: Technology at the Limits of Comprehension.

Why did the New York Stock Exchange shut down in 2015? What caused Toyota vehicles to accelerate without warning? Samuel reveals how technological “accretion” and interconnected systems create outcomes that even developers, engineers, and executives can’t predict.

We discuss:

  • Why technology often evolves beyond human comprehension

  • How “spaghetti code” and legacy systems create systemic risk

  • The biological limits of human understanding

  • Generalists vs. specialists in innovation

  • The balance between intellectual humility and progress

  • How we can better live with—and design—overcomplicated systems

 

This is a must-listen for leaders, technologists, and innovators navigating today’s complex digital ecosystem.

🎙 Hosted by Aidan McCullen, keynote speaker on change and innovation.

💡 Sponsored by Kyndryl

Episode Notes / Timestamps

00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message
00:19 Unsolved Mysteries in Technology
01:18 Guest Introduction: Samuel Arbesman
01:57 Overview of ‘Overcomplicated’
03:25 Case Studies: Stock Exchange and Toyota
07:53 The Concept of Accretion
15:48 Complexity vs. Complication
26:49 Interoperability and Trade-offs
29:29 Systemic Failures and Interoperability
29:53 Open Source Software and Maintenance Challenges
32:00 Biological Limits of Human Comprehension
34:51 The Role of Technology in Understanding Complex Systems
40:52 The Burden of Knowledge and the Need for Generalists
50:53 Physics vs. Biological Thinking in Innovation
55:49 Final Thoughts on Humility and Understanding

 
Find Samuel Arbesman:
https://arbesman.net
 
[Aidan McCullen is a internationally Thinkers50 recognised thought leader on change and innovation. He is the author of Undisruptable and host of the globally acclaimed Innovation Show. A former international rugby player, Aidan now helps leaders and organisations thrive in an age of constant reinvention.]

Half-Life of Facts Samuel Arbesman

The Half-Life of Facts with Samuel Arbesman: Why Knowledge Keeps Changing

Posted 1 week ago Tagged

Facts change — and that’s a good thing.

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman, complexity scientist and author of The Half-Life of Facts, joins Aidan McCullen to explore how what we know — and believe to be true — constantly evolves.

Together, they unpack how facts have a “half-life,” why collaboration matters in a changing world, and how exponential knowledge growth reshapes science, strategy, and society.

In this episode:

 

  • Why facts and truths decay over time

  • How science self-corrects — from the Brontosaurus myth to the spinach iron story

  • The concept of “meso-facts” — slowly changing knowledge

  • How exponential growth drives innovation and discovery

  • Why curiosity, humility, and adaptability are essential for leaders

  •  

📚 Guest: Samuel Arbesman — author of The Half-Life of Facts, Overcomplicated, and The Magic of Code.

🌐 https://arbesman.net | https://arbesman.substack.com

 

đŸŽ™ïž Hosted by Aidan McCullen — international keynote speaker on change, transformation, and innovation, author of Undisruptable, and host of The Innovation Show.

 

 

đŸ’Œ Brought to you by Kyndryl – helping leaders harness the power of technology for smarter decisions and faster innovation.

👉 https://www.kyndryl.com/ie/en/institute

 

📘 Connect with Aidan McCullen:

🌐 https://theinnovationshow.io

📰 Substack: https://thethursdaythought.substack.com

📕 Book: Undisruptable

đŸŽ€ Speaking: https://aidanmccullen.com

Image of Howard YU and Sangeet Paul Choudary

The Great Reshuffle Why Adobe Couldnt Beat Figma Howard Yu Sangeet Paul Choudary

Posted 2 weeks ago Tagged

Why did Adobe fail to outpace Figma despite cloud dominance? Howard Yu and Sangeet Paul Choudary join Aidan McCullen to explore disruption in the AI age and how your business can leap forward before it’s too late.

Manu Kapur discusses productive failure and learning science on The Innovation Show with Aidan McCullen

The Power of Productive Failure with Manu Kapur (Part 3 Finale)

Posted 3 weeks ago Tagged

Prof. Manu Kapur joins Aidan McCullen for part 3 of our Innovation Show series on “productive failure.” Discover why initial struggle fosters deeper learning, how to design for failure in education and beyond, and how to unlock insights through cognitive dissonance.

Expected Value xV – Revolutionizing Innovation Metrics with Simon Hill

Posted 1 month ago Tagged

Simon Hill, author of Expected Value (xV), reveals a powerful framework to measure the true impact of innovation. Learn how to avoid innovation theatre, kill zombie projects, and align creativity with real business value through xV’s blend of confidence, predicted value, time sensitivity, and strategic fit.

Michael-Raynor-Strategy-Risk-Resource-Allocation-Explained

Michael Raynor on Strategy RAP Model BCE Case Study

Posted 1 month ago Tagged

Michael Raynor explains why most strategies fail and how CEOs can fix them, exploring the RAP model, BCE’s diversification, and lessons in strategy.

Manu Kapur: The Science of Productive Failure & The Four A’s of Learning

Posted 1 month ago Tagged

In Part 2 of my conversation with Manu Kapur, author of Productive Failure, we explore the science behind learning from failure, including the Four A’s framework, variability in learning, and why struggle fuels adaptability in today’s fast-changing world.

Manu Kapur: The Science of Productive Failure & The Four A's of Learning

Posted 1 month ago Tagged

In this episode of The Innovation Show, Aidan McCullen welcomes back Manu Kapur, author of Productive Failure, to explore the science of learning through failure.

We uncover the Basic Knowledge Fallacy, debate Direct Instruction vs. Discovery Learning, and introduce the Four A’s of Learning (Activation, Awareness, Affect, Assembly). Manu also explains why variability, struggle, and pretesting drive deeper learning, adaptability, and long-term success.

Whether you’re an educator, business leader, coach, or lifelong learner, this conversation will transform the way you think about learning and growth.

 

⏱ Episode Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction and Sponsor Message

00:33 – Welcoming the Guest: Manu Kapur

01:01 – Understanding the Basic Knowledge Fallacy

05:07 – Direct Instruction vs. Discovery Learning

08:08 – The Science Behind Productive Failure

14:01 – The Importance of Variability in Learning

21:14 – Pretesting and the Role of Struggle in Learning

26:43 – Final Thoughts and Cognitive Reflection Test

 

🔑 Key Takeaways:

  • Why the path to learning is as important as the knowledge itself

  • The strengths and limits of direct instruction and discovery learning

  • How the Four A’s of Productive Failure create lasting understanding

  • Why variability and desirable difficulties improve adaptability

  • How struggle, pretesting, and impasses unlock deeper insights

📘 Resources:

đŸ“ș Watch more episodes of The Innovation Show: The Innovation Show on YouTube

🌐 Learn more about Manu Kapur: www.manukapur.com

📘 Get Manu’s book Productive Failure: https://amzn.to/3KrdV1Q

 

Manu Kapur: The Science of Productive Failure & The Four A's of Learning

Posted 1 month ago Tagged

In this episode of The Innovation Show, Aidan McCullen welcomes back Manu Kapur, author of Productive Failure, to explore the science of learning through failure.

We uncover the Basic Knowledge Fallacy, debate Direct Instruction vs. Discovery Learning, and introduce the Four A’s of Learning (Activation, Awareness, Affect, Assembly). Manu also explains why variability, struggle, and pretesting drive deeper learning, adaptability, and long-term success.

Whether you’re an educator, business leader, coach, or lifelong learner, this conversation will transform the way you think about learning and growth.

 

⏱ Episode Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction and Sponsor Message

00:33 – Welcoming the Guest: Manu Kapur

01:01 – Understanding the Basic Knowledge Fallacy

05:07 – Direct Instruction vs. Discovery Learning

08:08 – The Science Behind Productive Failure

14:01 – The Importance of Variability in Learning

21:14 – Pretesting and the Role of Struggle in Learning

26:43 – Final Thoughts and Cognitive Reflection Test

 

🔑 Key Takeaways:

  • Why the path to learning is as important as the knowledge itself

  • The strengths and limits of direct instruction and discovery learning

  • How the Four A’s of Productive Failure create lasting understanding

  • Why variability and desirable difficulties improve adaptability

  • How struggle, pretesting, and impasses unlock deeper insights

📘 Resources:

đŸ“ș Watch more episodes of The Innovation Show: The Innovation Show on YouTube

🌐 Learn more about Manu Kapur: www.manukapur.com

📘 Get Manu’s book Productive Failure: https://amzn.to/3KrdV1Q

 

Promotional image for The Innovation Show podcast episode “Productive Failure with Manu Kapur.” Features Manu Kapur’s photo, the podcast logo, and the book cover of “Productive Failure: Unlocking Deeper Learning Through the Science of Failing.

Why Failure Fuels Success with Manu Kapur | The Power of Productive Failure

Posted 2 months ago Tagged

Manu Kapur joins The Innovation Show to discuss his book Productive Failure, showing how failure fuels deeper learning, creativity, and adaptability in education, business, and life.

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