Knowledge (XXG)

Project complexity

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50: 116: 178: 82:: characterized by known unknowns. A complicated system is the sum of its parts. In principle, it can be deconstructed into smaller simpler components. While difficult, complicated problems are theoretically solvable with additional resources, with specialized expertise, with analytical, reductionist, simplification, decomposition techniques, with scenario planning, and following good practices. 21:, project complexity can be defined as an intricate arrangement of the varied interrelated parts in which the elements can change and evolve constantly with an effect on the project objectives. The identification of complex projects is specifically important to multi-project engineering environments. 106:
Project complexity has different components and sources, including the product (typically expressed in terms of structural or technological complexity); as well as the organization, its processes; the surrounding legal, ethical, and regulatory environment; stakeholder complexity and their (often
39:(also known as detail complexity, or complicatedness), i.e. consisting of many varied interrelated parts. It is typically expressed in terms of size, variety, and interdependence of project components, and described by technological and organizational factors. 193:, project complexity is sometimes required in order for the project to reach its objectives, and sometimes it has beneficial outcomes. Based on the effects of complexity, Stefan Morcov proposed its classification as Positive, Appropriate, or Negative. 16:
Project complexity is the property of a project which makes it difficult to understand, foresee, and keep under control its overall behavior, even when given reasonably complete information about the project system. With a lens of
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conflicting) objectives; market complexity. Thus, when operating in a complex organization, or when developing a complex product, it is likely that the project itself will encounter phenomena related to dynamic complexity.
76:(or clear, obvious, known) projects, systems, or contexts. These are characterized by known knowns, stability, clear cause-and-effect relationships. They can be solved with standard operating procedures and best practices. 148:: the process of developing options and actions to enhance and use Positive Complexity, and to reduce or avoid Negative Complexity. This step involves modeling and design of potential solutions. 336: 98:, a.k.a. very complex, or chaotic: characterized by unknowables. No patterns are discernible in really complex projects. Causes and effects are unclear even in retrospect. Paraphrasing 540:
Morcov, Stefan (2021). Managing Positive and Negative Complexity: Design and Validation of an IT Project Complexity Management Framework. KU Leuven University. Available at
522: 458: 136:: the process of determining what elements of complexity characterize the project. It has as objective the detection, inventory, and description of the problem. 142:: the process of analyzing and prioritizing the project complexity elements and characteristics. This step is concerned with understanding the problem. 154:: the process of implementing response strategies, monitoring, controlling, and evaluating the overall effectiveness. It is a continuous activity. 88:: characterized by unknown unknowns, and emergence. Patterns could be uncovered, but they are not obvious. A complex system can be described by 200:
is the complexity that adds value to the project, and whose contribution to project success outweighs the associated negative consequences.
300:
Bakhshi, Javad; Ireland, Vernon; Gorod, Alex (1 October 2016). "Clarifying the project complexity construct: Past, present and future".
49: 45:, which refers to phenomena, characteristics, and manifestations such as ambiguity, uncertainty, propagation, emergence, and chaos. 604: 115: 487:
Kurtz, C.F.; Snowden, David J. (2003). "The new dynamics of strategy: Sense-making in a complex and complicated world".
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Morcov, Stefan; Pintelon, Liliane; Kusters, Rob J. (2021). "A Framework for IT Project Complexity Management".
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The IT-PCM project complexity management framework proposed by Stefan Morcov consists of 5 processes:
570:"IT Project Complexity Management Based on Sources and Effects: Positive, Appropriate and Negative" 436: 569: 504: 359: 317: 248: 378: 130:
the process of red-flagging complex projects, and deciding on management strategies and tools.
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Create, enhance, use (exploit) - if the effects are positive (i.e. Positive Complexity).
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Managing Complex, High Risk Projects - A Guide to Basic and Advanced Project Management
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The Positive, Appropriate and Negative complexity model proposed by Stefan Morcov
557:. IADIS IS 2021: 14th IADIS International Conference Information Systems: 61–68. 210:
The concepts of Appropriate (requisite) and Positive Complexity are similar to
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Simple, complicated, complex, and really complex projects - based on the
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Vidal, Ludovic-Alexandre; Marle, Franck; Bocquet, Jean-Claude (2011).
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Baccarini, D. (1996). "The concept of project complexity, a review".
89: 337:"Measuring project complexity using the Analytic Hierarchy Process" 555:
International Journal of Information Technology Project Management
176: 114: 48: 102:, a really complex system is different from the sum of its parts. 92:’s statement that the whole is more than the sum of its parts. 168:
Avoid/ eliminate, simplify /reduce: for Negative Complexity.
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Morcov, Stefan; Pintelon, Liliane; Kusters, Rob J. (2020).
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Positive, appropriate (requisite), and negative complexity
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Accept: for Positive, Appropriate, or Negative complexity.
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Complexity Management in Engineering Design – a Primer
24:The domain was introduced by D. Baccarini in 1996. 119:The IT-PCM Project Complexity Management framework 280: 278: 285:Marle, Franck; Vidal, Ludovic‐Alexandre (2016). 206:is the complexity that hinders project success. 577:Proceedings of the Romanian Academy - Series A 8: 521:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ( 457:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ( 379:"The concept of project complexity—a review" 146:Plan IT project complexity response strategy 410:International Journal of Project Management 383:International Journal of Project Management 344:International Journal of Project Management 302:International Journal of Project Management 542:https://lirias.kuleuven.be/retrieve/637007 437:"A Leader's Framework for Decision Making" 435:Snowden, David J.; Boone, Mary E. (2007). 152:Monitor and Control IT project complexity 69:, complex projects can be classified as: 274: 514: 450: 128:Plan IT project complexity management: 158:The typical response strategies are: 7: 536: 534: 532: 14: 476:. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer. 191:The law of requisite complexity 356:10.1016/j.ijproman.2010.07.005 314:10.1016/j.ijproman.2016.06.002 134:Identify IT project complexity 1: 140:Analyze IT project complexity 111:Project complexity management 422:10.1016/0263-7863(95)00093-3 395:10.1016/0263-7863(95)00093-3 626: 289:. London: Springer-Verlag. 377:Baccarini, David (1996). 228:vulnerability management 187:Law of requisite variety 441:Harvard Business Review 96:Really complex projects 605:Complex systems theory 259:Opportunity management 182: 120: 58: 472:Maurer, Maik (2017). 232:Nassim Nicholas Taleb 180: 118: 52: 37:Structural complexity 501:10.1147/sj.423.0462 489:IBM Systems Journal 204:Negative complexity 198:Positive complexity 185:Similarly with the 32:Complexity can be: 28:Types of complexity 600:Project management 249:Project management 183: 121: 59: 43:Dynamic complexity 230:as introduced by 63:Cynefin framework 617: 585: 584: 574: 565: 559: 558: 550: 544: 538: 527: 526: 520: 512: 484: 478: 477: 469: 463: 462: 456: 448: 432: 426: 425: 405: 399: 398: 374: 368: 367: 341: 332: 326: 325: 308:(7): 1199–1213. 297: 291: 290: 282: 19:systems thinking 625: 624: 620: 619: 618: 616: 615: 614: 610:Risk management 590: 589: 588: 572: 567: 566: 562: 552: 551: 547: 539: 530: 513: 486: 485: 481: 471: 470: 466: 449: 434: 433: 429: 407: 406: 402: 376: 375: 371: 339: 334: 333: 329: 299: 298: 294: 284: 283: 276: 272: 254:Risk management 240: 218:risk management 175: 113: 30: 12: 11: 5: 623: 621: 613: 612: 607: 602: 592: 591: 587: 586: 560: 545: 528: 495:(3): 462–483. 479: 464: 427: 416:(4): 201–204. 400: 389:(4): 201–204. 369: 350:(6): 718–727. 327: 292: 273: 271: 268: 267: 266: 261: 256: 251: 246: 239: 236: 208: 207: 201: 174: 171: 170: 169: 166: 163: 156: 155: 149: 143: 137: 131: 112: 109: 104: 103: 93: 83: 77: 47: 46: 40: 29: 26: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 622: 611: 608: 606: 603: 601: 598: 597: 595: 583:(4): 329–336. 582: 578: 571: 564: 561: 556: 549: 546: 543: 537: 535: 533: 529: 524: 518: 510: 506: 502: 498: 494: 490: 483: 480: 475: 468: 465: 460: 454: 446: 442: 438: 431: 428: 423: 419: 415: 411: 404: 401: 396: 392: 388: 384: 380: 373: 370: 365: 361: 357: 353: 349: 345: 338: 331: 328: 323: 319: 315: 311: 307: 303: 296: 293: 288: 281: 279: 275: 269: 265: 264:Antifragility 262: 260: 257: 255: 252: 250: 247: 245: 242: 241: 237: 235: 233: 229: 225: 224: 223:antifragility 219: 215: 214: 213:opportunities 205: 202: 199: 196: 195: 194: 192: 188: 179: 172: 167: 164: 161: 160: 159: 153: 150: 147: 144: 141: 138: 135: 132: 129: 126: 125: 124: 117: 110: 108: 101: 97: 94: 91: 87: 84: 81: 78: 75: 72: 71: 70: 68: 65:developed by 64: 61:Based on the 56: 51: 44: 41: 38: 35: 34: 33: 27: 25: 22: 20: 580: 576: 563: 554: 548: 517:cite journal 492: 488: 482: 473: 467: 453:cite journal 447:(11): 68–76. 444: 440: 430: 413: 409: 403: 386: 382: 372: 347: 343: 330: 305: 301: 295: 286: 221: 211: 209: 203: 197: 184: 157: 151: 145: 139: 133: 127: 122: 105: 95: 85: 79: 73: 67:Dave Snowden 60: 42: 36: 31: 23: 15: 80:Complicated 594:Categories 270:References 244:Complexity 57:framework. 364:111186583 322:113426565 220:, and to 100:Aristotle 238:See also 509:1571304 86:Complex 55:Cynefin 507:  362:  320:  90:Euclid 74:Simple 573:(PDF) 505:S2CID 360:S2CID 340:(PDF) 318:S2CID 523:link 459:link 189:and 497:doi 418:doi 391:doi 352:doi 310:doi 226:in 216:in 596:: 581:21 579:. 575:. 531:^ 519:}} 515:{{ 503:. 493:42 491:. 455:}} 451:{{ 445:85 443:. 439:. 414:14 412:. 387:14 385:. 381:. 358:. 348:29 346:. 342:. 316:. 306:34 304:. 277:^ 234:. 525:) 511:. 499:: 461:) 424:. 420:: 397:. 393:: 366:. 354:: 324:. 312::

Index

systems thinking

Cynefin
Cynefin framework
Dave Snowden
Euclid
Aristotle


Law of requisite variety
The law of requisite complexity
opportunities
risk management
antifragility
vulnerability management
Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Complexity
Project management
Risk management
Opportunity management
Antifragility


doi
10.1016/j.ijproman.2016.06.002
S2CID
113426565
"Measuring project complexity using the Analytic Hierarchy Process"
doi
10.1016/j.ijproman.2010.07.005

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