--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is well known that any drive to reduce…" description: "\"“It is well known that any drive to reduce paperwork only results in extra paperwork”\" — Terry Pratchett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/terry-pratchett-19_humour_it-is-well-known-that-any-drive-to-reduc_874071.jpg" --- # It is well known that any drive to reduce paperwork only… ![“It is well known that any drive to reduce paperwork only results in extra paperwork” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/terry-pratchett-19_humour_it-is-well-known-that-any-drive-to-reduc_874071.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/terry-pratchett-19_humour_it-is-well-known-that-any-drive-to-reduc_874071.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/terry-pratchett-19_humour_it-is-well-known-that-any-drive-to-reduc_874071.jpg) > ““It is well known that any drive to reduce paperwork only results in extra paperwork”” [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Bureaucracy expands when you try to cut it, creating more paperwork than before. **In simple terms:** Cutting paperwork often creates more paperwork. Key Takeaway Beware unintended consequences of simplification. Themes bureaucracy efficiency unintended consequences Mood cautious reflective Type advisory critical When to use this quote - office management - government reform - project planning - policy drafting Key Concepts systems theory process optimization Questions to Reflect On - How can we truly reduce administrative load? - What hidden steps emerge when we streamline? A Different Perspective Simplification may overlook hidden complexities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Drive Reduce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drive-reduce-982791/) [Extra Paperwork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extra-paperwork-982789/) [Humour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humour/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Paperwork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paperwork/) [Paperwork Results](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paperwork-results-982790/) [Reduce Paperwork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reduce-paperwork-982788/) [Well known](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/well-known/) ## Related quotes > [If possible, try to avoid pushing each other over the edge, as that would cause me extra paperwork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/if-possible-try-to-avoid-pushing-each-other-over-the-edge-as-that/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [So much paperwork to read! So much paperwork to push away! So much paperwork to pretend he hadn't received and that might have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/so-much-paperwork-to-read-so-much-paperwork-to-push-away-so-much/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“it is well known that a vital ingredient of success is not knowing that what you’re attempting can’t be done. A person ignorant of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-is-well-known-that-a-vital-ingredient-of-success-is-not-knowing/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“It is well known that stone can think, because the whole of electronics is based on that fact, but in some universes men spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-is-well-known-that-stone-can-think-because-the-whole-of/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“She gazed out across the rooftops of Ankh-Morpork and reasoned like this: writing was only the words that people said, squeezed between layers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/she-gazed-out-across-the-rooftops-of-ankh-morpork-and-reasoned-like/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Aliens don't get stuck in air ducts. It's practically a well-known fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/aliens-don-t-get-stuck-in-air-ducts-it-s-practically-a-well-known-fact/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [The PURPOSE of the DATA INTEGRITY BOARD review meeting is NOT for the purpose of reviewing the INTEGRITY of the paperwork because that has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-smith/the-purpose-of-the-data-integrity-board-review-meeting-is-not-for-the/) [Jack Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-smith/) > [I have always been structured. What has changed is the proportions. Now it is eight hours of paperwork and one of painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/i-have-always-been-structured-what-has-changed-is-the-proportions-now/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [Just as in policing there is an emphasis on civilians to help with paperwork, we must free up trained and experienced social workers to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-sawford/just-as-in-policing-there-is-an-emphasis-on-civilians-to-help-with/) [Andy Sawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-sawford/) > [I always write to the moment. I've always been that kind of emcee. I don't wanna come in with all the paperwork and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raekwon/i-always-write-to-the-moment-i-ve-always-been-that-kind-of-emcee-i/) [Raekwon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raekwon/) > [President Obama announced his re-election campaign, though it’s not really a surprise. He did all the things that make it official: He filed the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/president-obama-announced-his-re-election-campaign-though-it-s-not/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [You know what they want? They want obedient workers. Obedient workers, people who are just smart enough to run the machines and do the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/you-know-what-they-want-they-want-obedient-workers-obedient-workers/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [So it was sort of an odd time because I had been hired, but my paperwork hadn't gone through. So I worked as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-lewinsky/so-it-was-sort-of-an-odd-time-because-i-had-been-hired-but-my/) [Monica Lewinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-lewinsky/) > [Reading isn't an occupation we encourage among police officers. We try to keep the paperwork down to a minimum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-orton/reading-isn-t-an-occupation-we-encourage-among-police-officers-we-try/) [Joe Orton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-orton/) > [Despite the reams of paperwork, obstacles worthy of a horse show, and a wait that can rival an elephant's gestation, adoption feels no different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-simon/despite-the-reams-of-paperwork-obstacles-worthy-of-a-horse-show-and-a/) [Scott Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-simon/) ## More by Terry Pratchett > [“This one’s mental.’ ‘Eccentric.’ ‘What’s the difference?’ ‘A bag of cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-one-s-mental-eccentric-what-s-the-difference-a-bag-of-cash/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“But I did not return until half past four this morning and I distinctly remember stubbing my toe on the stairs. I am as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-i-did-not-return-until-half-past-four-this-morning-and-i/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Someone broke from the scrum and, punching and kicking, staggered towards the Klatchian goal. "Isn't that man your butler?" said Ahmed. "Yes." "One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/someone-broke-from-the-scrum-and-punching-and-kicking-staggered/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. Much family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-an-interesting-fact-that-fewer-than-17-of-real-cats-end-their/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [You can't trust folk songs. They always sneak up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-trust-folk-songs-they-always-sneak-up-on-you/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Either dragons should exist completely or fail to exist at all, he felt. A dragon only half-existing was worse than the extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/either-dragons-should-exist-completely-or-fail-to-exist-at-all-he/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Magrat wondered what it was like, spending your whole life doing something you didn’t want to do. Like being dead, she considered, only worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/magrat-wondered-what-it-was-like-spending-your-whole-life-doing/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [A hardback's harder at Christmas time because that's a good hardback buying time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-hardback-s-harder-at-christmas-time-because-that-s-a-good-hardback/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There were more old people. The world was full of them,' said the wizard. 'Yes, I know. And now it's full of young people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-more-old-people-the-world-was-full-of-them-said-the-wizard/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Hobson was big and heavyset, but not exactly fat; he was probably what you’d get if you shaved a bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/hobson-was-big-and-heavyset-but-not-exactly-fat-he-was-probably-what/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There is a night that never comes to an end… The clock of the world turns under its own shadow. Midnight is a moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-is-a-night-that-never-comes-to-an-end-the-clock-of-the-world/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You'd like Freedom, Truth, and Justice, wouldn't you, Comrade Sergeant?' said Reg encouragingly. 'I'd like a hard-boiled egg,' said Vimes, shaking the match out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-d-like-freedom-truth-and-justice-wouldn-t-you-comrade-sergeant/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You are not apprehensive, are you? I can't detect no trace of fear none whatsoever Roomy cranium all possible videos of all possible outcomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-are-not-apprehensive-are-you-i-can-t-detect-no-trace-of-fear-none/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Imagination, not intelligence, made us human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/imagination-not-intelligence-made-us-human/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) [Explore all 3,328 Terry Pratchett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More Humour quotes > [“law that stated you didn't advertise any event you hadn't attended, any place you'd never been, or any band you didn't really listen to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/law-that-stated-you-didn-t-advertise-any-event-you-hadn-t-attended/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) > [To refer even in passing to unpublished or struggling authors and their problems is to put oneself at some risk, so I will say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/to-refer-even-in-passing-to-unpublished-or-struggling-authors-and/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) > [“Wish in one hand, shit in the other, see which one fills up faster.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noelle-oxenhandler/wish-in-one-hand-shit-in-the-other-see-which-one-fills-up-faster/) [Noelle Oxenhandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noelle-oxenhandler/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [“What if," replied Inspector Fry in the same maddeningly curteous tone, "we were all to construct daisy chains and drape them so as to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndsay-faye/what-if-replied-inspector-fry-in-the-same-maddeningly-curteous-tone/) [Lyndsay Faye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndsay-faye/) > [You owe me a drink, you're so ugly I dropped mine when I saw you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-owe-me-a-drink-you-re-so-ugly-i-dropped-mine-when-i-saw-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No woman ever yet either reasoned or acted long together consequentially; but some little thing, some love, some resentment, somepresent momentary interest, some supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/no-woman-ever-yet-either-reasoned-or-acted-long-together/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [“Holy shit," somebody muttered in the dark. "A virgin," sputtered another. "I didn't know they still made them." "He just did.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-kramer/holy-shit-somebody-muttered-in-the-dark-a-virgin-sputtered-another-i/) [Larry Kramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-kramer/) > [“True, science has conquered many diseases, broken the genetic code, and even placed human beings on the moon, and yet when a man of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/true-science-has-conquered-many-diseases-broken-the-genetic-code-and/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [“John, let me make one thing clear,” Jim said, cutting me off in his most stern, evangelical voice. “Every man is blessed with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wong/john-let-me-make-one-thing-clear-jim-said-cutting-me-off-in-his-most/) [David Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wong/) > [Self-deprecating humour is a common form of comedy and it helps get the audience on side because you're being vulnerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-brooker/self-deprecating-humour-is-a-common-form-of-comedy-and-it-helps-get/) [Alex Brooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-brooker/) > [“Life is like yoga; the only way you can enjoy it is by relaxing into any position you happen to find yourself in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-wakeham/life-is-like-yoga-the-only-way-you-can-enjoy-it-is-by-relaxing-into/) [Jon Wakeham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-wakeham/) > [“Charlotte Richmond says of herself: “I have few ladylike accomplishments. I cannot sing, I cannot draw, I cannot play the pianoforte or the harp…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-slade/charlotte-richmond-says-of-herself-i-have-few-ladylike/) [Nicola Slade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-slade/) > [“But even if they could go home it would be difficult for me to tell you what the moral of the story is. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/but-even-if-they-could-go-home-it-would-be-difficult-for-me-to-tell/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) [Browse all 3,815 Humour quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humour/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is well known that any drive to reduce paperwork only results in extra paperwork”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Terry Pratchett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-is-well-known-that-any-drive-to-reduce-paperwork-only-results-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Humour" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-is-well-known-that-any-drive-to-reduce-paperwork-only-results-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/terry-pratchett-19_humour_it-is-well-known-that-any-drive-to-reduc_874071.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/terry-pratchett-19_humour_it-is-well-known-that-any-drive-to-reduc_874071.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/terry-pratchett-19_humour_it-is-well-known-that-any-drive-to-reduc_874071.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is well known that any drive to reduce paperwork only results in extra paperwork” — Terry Pratchett", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Terry Pratchett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It is well known that any...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-is-well-known-that-any-drive-to-reduce-paperwork-only-results-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-is-well-known-that-any-drive-to-reduce-paperwork-only-results-in/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```