--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's a sort of unwritten rule that the…" description: "\"There's a sort of unwritten rule that the more elaborate the task is, the less likely it is to work. If we spend a lot of money on a big prop, it almos..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb3/alex-horne-8955_big_there-s-a-sort-of-unwritten-rule-that-th_175220.jpg" --- # There's a sort of unwritten rule that the more elaborate… ![“There's a sort of unwritten rule that the more elaborate the task is, the less likely it is to work. If we spend a lot of money on a big prop, it almost certainly won't make it.” quote by Alex Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb3/alex-horne-8955_big_there-s-a-sort-of-unwritten-rule-that-th_175220.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb3/alex-horne-8955_big_there-s-a-sort-of-unwritten-rule-that-th_175220.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb3/alex-horne-8955_big_there-s-a-sort-of-unwritten-rule-that-th_175220.jpg) > “There's a sort of unwritten rule that the more elaborate the task is, the less likely it is to work. If we spend a lot of money on a big prop, it almost certainly won't make it.” [Alex Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-horne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Complex, over‑engineered solutions often fail because they introduce unnecessary risk and cost. Simpler approaches tend to be more reliable and easier to execute. **In simple terms:** Big, fancy plans usually break down; keep it simple. Key Takeaway Prioritize simplicity over extravagance. Themes simplicity risk management efficiency Mood pragmatic cautious Type advice observational When to use this quote - project planning - budgeting - product design - event staging Key Concepts law of diminishing returns overengineering Questions to Reflect On - What could you strip away to improve reliability? - How does budget affect design choices? A Different Perspective Complexity can hide hidden flaws and delay execution. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Prop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prop/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [I'm not a big prop actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-fillion/i-m-not-a-big-prop-actor/) [Nathan Fillion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-fillion/) > [“If you see something working for someone else, and you are in the same business, more than likely it will work for you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ehab-atalla/if-you-see-something-working-for-someone-else-and-you-are-in-the-same/) [Ehab Atalla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ehab-atalla/) > [Somebody said 'I've got a task here, can you give it to my girlfriend?' And in the task it said 'Marry me'. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-horne/somebody-said-i-ve-got-a-task-here-can-you-give-it-to-my-girlfriend/) [Alex Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-horne/) > [I get asked, on a sort of daily basis, 'It's my wife's 30th birthday, can you set her a task?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-horne/i-get-asked-on-a-sort-of-daily-basis-it-s-my-wife-s-30th-birthday-can/) [Alex Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-horne/) > [One of the things we're really proud of is that every single task is different, even if there are similarities. You never know what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-horne/one-of-the-things-we-re-really-proud-of-is-that-every-single-task-is/) [Alex Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-horne/) > [I'm not a sculptor; I'm a hard-edged model maker. You give me a drawing, you give me a prop to replicate, you give me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-savage/i-m-not-a-sculptor-i-m-a-hard-edged-model-maker-you-give-me-a-drawing/) [Adam Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-savage/) > [My mother always taught me that two wrongs don't make a right. We shouldn't bail out Wall Street. We shouldn't bail out Detroit. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/my-mother-always-taught-me-that-two-wrongs-don-t-make-a-right-we/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [Tradition is a prop for social security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-j-phillips/tradition-is-a-prop-for-social-security/) [Walter J. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-j-phillips/) > [I wish myself to be a prop, if anything, for my songs. I want to be the vehicle for my songs. I would like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-wish-myself-to-be-a-prop-if-anything-for-my-songs-i-want-to-be-the/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I don't want to play a prop in a film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/urvashi-rautela/i-don-t-want-to-play-a-prop-in-a-film/) [Urvashi Rautela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/urvashi-rautela/) > [“Et sorprendràs de tenir la història tan a prop però no ser capaç de veure-la.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-izquierdo-salas/et-sorprendr-s-de-tenir-la-hist-ria-tan-a-prop-per-no-ser-capa-de/) David Izquierdo Salas > [The failure of Lehman may have allowed the government to do more to prop up the economy than it otherwise could.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ross-sorkin/the-failure-of-lehman-may-have-allowed-the-government-to-do-more-to/) [Andrew Ross Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ross-sorkin/) > [Tim Conway was a little different from the rest. He was always in the back of the studio building something with the prop man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicki-lawrence/tim-conway-was-a-little-different-from-the-rest-he-was-always-in-the/) [Vicki Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicki-lawrence/) > [My character has to be alive. It can't be a mere prop, and it has to have a life of its own. I need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fawad-khan/my-character-has-to-be-alive-it-can-t-be-a-mere-prop-and-it-has-to/) [Fawad Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fawad-khan/) > [June Cleaver didn't keep her house in perfect order, the prop man did it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-billingsley/june-cleaver-didn-t-keep-her-house-in-perfect-order-the-prop-man-did/) [Barbara Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-billingsley/) ## More by Alex Horne > [The Fringe is by far my favorite time of year; I like everything about it. But there are people I know who are much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-horne/the-fringe-is-by-far-my-favorite-time-of-year-i-like-everything-about/) [Alex Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-horne/) > [Of course you can't go wrong with Daniel Kitson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-horne/of-course-you-can-t-go-wrong-with-daniel-kitson/) [Alex Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-horne/) > [And in real life, I'm actually quite authoritative and strict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-horne/and-in-real-life-i-m-actually-quite-authoritative-and-strict/) [Alex Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-horne/) > [I'm very bad when it comes to finances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-horne/i-m-very-bad-when-it-comes-to-finances/) [Alex Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-horne/) > [I used to work as a logger, which is the lowest of the low, you just had to type up what happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-horne/i-used-to-work-as-a-logger-which-is-the-lowest-of-the-low-you-just/) [Alex Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-horne/) > [One of the things we're really proud of is that every single task is different, even if there are similarities. You never know what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-horne/one-of-the-things-we-re-really-proud-of-is-that-every-single-task-is/) [Alex Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-horne/) > [The first year I was in Edinburgh in 1999 I got six parking tickets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-horne/the-first-year-i-was-in-edinburgh-in-1999-i-got-six-parking-tickets/) [Alex Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-horne/) > [I had piano lessons for six months and got nowhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-horne/i-had-piano-lessons-for-six-months-and-got-nowhere/) [Alex Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-horne/) > [People are a lot less weird than they might seem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-horne/people-are-a-lot-less-weird-than-they-might-seem/) [Alex Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-horne/) > [I do quite often thank Frank Skinner because he agreed to do the very first series and that was a real stamp of approval.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-horne/i-do-quite-often-thank-frank-skinner-because-he-agreed-to-do-the-very/) [Alex Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-horne/) > [We definitely don't do everyone's tasks in the same order and that's quite useful. On someone's first day they might do it somewhat differently…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-horne/we-definitely-don-t-do-everyone-s-tasks-in-the-same-order-and-that-s/) [Alex Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-horne/) > [I really enjoyed Paul Sinha. He's from 'The Chase.' As you imagine, he's intelligent. But that doesn't mean he's got any common sense at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-horne/i-really-enjoyed-paul-sinha-he-s-from-the-chase-as-you-imagine-he-s/) [Alex Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-horne/) > [People are very quick to go, 'What is this nonsense?' if they've not seen something before and it's a bit different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-horne/people-are-very-quick-to-go-what-is-this-nonsense-if-they-ve-not-seen/) [Alex Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-horne/) > [I've been sent somebody's heart in a jar. At that point, you're thinking, I'm not sure if I should be opening this!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-horne/i-ve-been-sent-somebody-s-heart-in-a-jar-at-that-point-you-re/) [Alex Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-horne/) > [I'm quite proud that my bird-feeders are always full.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-horne/i-m-quite-proud-that-my-bird-feeders-are-always-full/) [Alex Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-horne/) [Explore all 76 Alex Horne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-horne/) ## More Big quotes > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [My mom had very low expectations for me, and she really had a point. I was a big problem at seventeen. If I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/my-mom-had-very-low-expectations-for-me-and-she-really-had-a-point-i/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [It's going to be used in the last days to get people to come against Christ, and that's the issue: they come against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/it-s-going-to-be-used-in-the-last-days-to-get-people-to-come-against/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [My parents are divorced, and seeing that was really painful for me. Really painful for me. But that's also a big part of why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banks/my-parents-are-divorced-and-seeing-that-was-really-painful-for-me/) [Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banks/) > [I always want to do a big finale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-yuh-nelson/i-always-want-to-do-a-big-finale/) [Jennifer Yuh Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-yuh-nelson/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [So I concentrated on the rhythmic side of things, and therefore left a lot of holes. I didn't want to use big pad chords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/midge-ure/so-i-concentrated-on-the-rhythmic-side-of-things-and-therefore-left-a/) [Midge Ure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/midge-ure/) > [I think a big part of success in football is mental, not physical. How you are inside your head matters more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iker-casillas/i-think-a-big-part-of-success-in-football-is-mental-not-physical-how/) [Iker Casillas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iker-casillas/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Making sure that people have access to preventive medicine for the first time ever as a nation? That's a big deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/making-sure-that-people-have-access-to-preventive-medicine-for-the/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [If you read 'Lord of the Rings' and dismiss it as a lie because it has orcs and elves, you're missing the whole point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-tennapel/if-you-read-lord-of-the-rings-and-dismiss-it-as-a-lie-because-it-has/) [Doug TenNapel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-tennapel/) > [What I know about Ali Krieger is no moment is ever going to be too big for her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-ellis/what-i-know-about-ali-krieger-is-no-moment-is-ever-going-to-be-too/) [Jill Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-ellis/) Browse all 12,477 Big quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's a sort of unwritten rule that the more elaborate the task is, the less likely it is to work. 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