No single measure captures everything.

No single measure captures everything.

'Governance Is Complex' A series - understanding what constituents make good governance.

2. Information flow

Earlier in this series, we covered decision-maker quality and how it encompasses being one of the powerful constituents in driving good governance. Thereafter, I perhaps don’t need to emphasise the role the flow of information plays in the effectiveness and efficiency of decision-making quality.

Information flow is the second indices under decision-making (see Governance Complexity Model-https://www.costeer.co/govq). The flow of information is integral in shaping the organisation’s performance, adaptability and culture. The method in which information is processed, integrated, and available determines organisation’s aspiration towards collective collaboration and impactful performance.

No single measure captures everything. Each factor plays a crucial role in enacting and leveraging the whole system. In this case, the flow of information. The flow of information within an organisation is highly influential. However, effective information is perhaps not always about the quantity ( using channels like reports, meetings, performance dashboards, and structured communication systems designed to support decision-making and accountability), rather it's more about the quality of information that is required and available to make conscious decisions. This involves the way in which an organisation’s informal channels of information flow, i.e, psychological safety, belonging, trust, respect, and accountability.

Having said this, we have observed that many organisations mistakenly equate more data with better decisions. In practice, overwhelming or burned-out individuals with excessive or poorly filtered information that which can reduce focus and hinder sound judgment. Conversely, withholding or distorting information, due to a lack of psychological safety or through poor systems, leads to weakening trust and fragmented accountability across teams. For information to serve its purpose, it is essential that it reaches the right people, at the right time, in a form that supports decision-making.

The structure of the organisation significantly influences how information flows and moves. Hierarchical systems often tend to create bottlenecks, where messages must pass through multiple layers of approval, leading to micro-management, delays and distortion. In contrast, flatter and more networked structures enable faster circulation of information and greater transparency.

However, these structures can also create risks of overload or diffusion of responsibility. It is important to understand the right use of these systems and platforms to support the importance of filtering, prioritising, and contextualising information based on its contextuality and complementarity.

The flow of information is not a technical problem but a systemic and cultural challenge. It stems from the way in which individual contributions bind together into collective outcomes. To do this better, we must start at the bottom.