Tools for Complex Projects

Traditional project management approaches assume that project contexts are unchanging and key factors, though complicated, are reducible to unambiguous elements for management and control. Whilst this assumption has simplified the task for writers and educators, it is increasingly being recognised that these techniques do not work in projects which may be described as complex (due to their size, technical difficulties, conflicting environmental and political constraints or poorly understood or shared goals). Tools for Complex Projects draws on research in the areas of project management, complexity theory and systems thinking to provide a ready reference for understanding and managing the increasing complexity of projects and programmes. The main part of the book provides a series of fourteen project tools. Some of these tools may be used at the level of the whole project life-cycle. Others may be applied ad hoc at any time. In each case, the authors provide: detailed guidelines for using the tool, information on its purpose and the types of complexity for which it is most appropriate, the theoretical background to the tool, a practical example of its use, and any necessary words of caution. This is an example of advanced project management at work; sophisticated tools that require a level of project and management expertise and offer rigorous and highly practical methods for understanding, structuring and managing the most complex of projects.

Kaye Remington and Julien Pollack have extensive experience in extending project management concepts into many fields in practice, education and research, integrating material from fields not traditionally associated with project management. Kaye Remington has 25 years project management and senior management experience and until very recently was Course Director of the Master of Project Management program at the University of Technology Sydney. Julien Pollack has experience in the delivery of complex strategic development projects and has recently been awarded national and international awards for applied research in project management and systems thinking.