How my concepts of Strategic Simplicity® and my CLOUD Framework Work Together

A client recently asked me about the relationship between my signature approach, Strategic Simplicity® and my CLOUD Framework.

I first reminded her that I am an executive advisor, but specialize in one thing: identifying the key changes that lead to dramatic improvement. So, I don't provide generic strategic planning, executive coaching, or leadership training. I call my highly effective, surgical approach Strategic Simplicity®. It's a powerful scalpel to cut through the noise and informational overload of today's Attention Scarcity era.

If, during a session, my client is feeling overwhelmed by a large, complex transformation, or isn't sure which part of their organization we should apply Strategic Simplicity® to, then we can use CLOUD to scope out what we will focus on.

CLOUD stands for Change, Language, Operations, User, and Decisions.  These are all process areas where applying Strategic Simplicity® can yield high leverage, and dramatically improve the business.

© 2025 Praveen Puri

Fintech AI and A Bridge Over Troubled Waters

Here are two recent case studies from my executive advisor practice. On the surface, they appear wildly different, both in content and scale.  But process-wise, they are the same, since I'm a process consultant, and my specialization is identifying the key changes that result in dramatic improvement.

Success Story: Fintech AI Triumph

A fintech CIO faced a $5M AI project stalled by scope creep. 

Using CLOUD, we phased the rollout, aligned with business goals, streamlined processes, simplified interfaces, and clarified decisions.

As a result, the client saved $400K and cut timelines by 20%.

Bridge Over Troubled Waters

A park district had a booth charging a fee to cross a scenic bridge into a wildlife area. The problem was that the line to cross really backed up.

I advised them to set up 3-4 stations back near the parking lot to take their cash and give them a token. At the bridge, they simply collected the token to allow crossing.

As a result, a bottleneck was eliminated, and long lines ceased to be an issue.

© 2025 Praveen Puri

Why I Work Like a Running Back: Strategic Simplicity® in Action

When large consulting firms tackle organizational change, they often look like a flashy, complicated passing offense. They draw up elaborate plays — new systems, massive process overhauls, cultural revolutions, and sweeping reorganizations. It looks impressive on the whiteboard, but it frequently disrupts the entire team, creates confusion, and has a low completion rate. The organization gets exhausted, and the big gains rarely materialize.
I take a different approach.
With Strategic Simplicity®, I work like a disciplined running back.
We don’t try to throw a 50-yard bomb on every play. Instead, we methodically identify the key changes — the right holes to hit — and execute simple, high-percentage runs. One reassignment here. One reframed conversation there. A smart incentive tweak or targeting an adjacent market at the perfect moment.
Most plays gain a steady 3–5 yards. They’re reliable, low-disruption, and build momentum. But because we pick the right spots with precision, we also break several long runs that move the chains dramatically.
Over time, those consistent small gains compound. The organization moves down the field with confidence, without getting battered or losing its rhythm.
That’s the power of Strategic Simplicity® — steady, surgical progress that adds up to dramatic improvement. If you’d like to experience this approach firsthand, I invite you to schedule a complimentary 30-minute session. Just email me and we’ll find a time that works.

© 2025 Praveen Puri

Chuck Who?

© 2025 Praveen Puri

I've Written Less Code Than Anyone in the World.

Nobody in the world has written less code than me. Find a fisherman in the Yucatan who's never seen a computer. At 0 lines of code, he's "written" more code than I have!  My code count is decidedly negative because my advice to executives has led to the retirement of, or prevented the creation of, thousands of lines of code. The key to innovation, especially in the Age of AI, is about what you don't do. Software is an asset. Lines of code are a liability. You want to maximize the value of the former, while minimizing the latter.

© 2025 Praveen Puri

How should you encourage your child's education in a world of AI?

I think the best advice comes from the poet Richard Hugo (Ironically, he passed away in 1982, so he never experienced AI.) I learned about Hugo from Mark Levy, who praised Hugo's ability to discuss large, universal concepts by writing detailed poems on small, specific subjects.

The advice from Hugo that I think is apt to education in the world of AI comes from his opening paragraph in his book on writing "The Triggering Town".

He talks about what he tells his poetry writing classes at the University of Montana: "In a sense, I hope I don't teach you how to write but how to teach yourself to write."

© 2025 Praveen Puri

Is Anthropic's Latest AI Too Dangerous?

Anthropic's latest AI, Mythos, is so powerful that they aren't releasing it to the public. They are just making it available to other software companies because it can easily find security bugs. In fact, it found security holes, some over 20 years old, in every operating system and web browser. They are hoping that companies can use it to patch flaws before other AIs are powerful enough to help hackers. An interesting this is that the government may not like Anthropic from sharing it with companies, since the government collects flaws so that they can hack enemy systems.

https://www.economist.com/business/2026/04/08/how-dangerous-is-mythos-anthropics-new-ai-model?giftId=OTc4Zjg5Y2EtMThjNy00M2MyLTkyZTUtYzg3ODhlZWI4NTA2&utm_campaign=gifted_article

© 2025 Praveen Puri