Navigating Complexity : A Practice Guide

With greater organizational complexities looming on the horizon, PMI has introduced Navigating Complexity: A Practice Guide. The definitive guide expands upon the principles, tools, and techniques presented in the PMBOK® Guide and other foundational standards, providing a streamlined approach to understanding and navigating complexity. This groundbreaking guide fills a void, providing the first published reference to help project management professionals successfully mitigate complexities and accomplish their organizational goals. PREFACE.................................................................................................................................... V 1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Purpose and Structure of this Complexity Practice Guide......................................... 1 2 ORGANIZATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS..................................................................................... 3 2.1 Leadership................................................................................................................... 3 2.2 Portfolio Management................................................................................................. 4 2.3 Collaboration for Successful Outcomes..................................................................... 5 2.4 Performance Metrics................................................................................................... 5 2.5 Impact of Organizational Structures.......................................................................... 6 2.5.1 Leveraging PMO Support and Governance..................................................... 6 2.6 Resource Gap Analysis................................................................................................ 7 2.7 Senior Management, Practitioner, and Team Competency........................................ 7 3 ENCOUNTERING COMPLEXITY.............................................................................................. 11 3.1 Three Categories of Complexity................................................................................ 11 3.2 Human Behavior........................................................................................................ 11 3.2.1 Individual Behavior....................................................................................... 13 3.2.2 Group, Organizational, and Political Behavior.............................................. 15 3.2.3 Communication and Control......................................................................... 15 3.2.4 Organizational Design and Development..................................................... 16 3.3 System Behavior........................................................................................................ 17 3.3.1 Connectedness.............................................................................................. 17 3.3.2 Dependency................................................................................................... 19 3.3.3 System Dynamics.......................................................................................... 19 3.4 Ambiguity................................................................................................................... 20 3.4.1 Emergence..................................................................................................... 21 3.4.2 Uncertainty.................................................................................................... 21 4 PMI FOUNDATIONAL STANDARDS AND USEFUL PRACTICES............................................... 23 4.1 PMI Foundational Standards..................................................................................... 23 4.1.1 Scope............................................................................................................. 24 II ©2014 Project Management Institute. Navigating Complexity: A Practice Guide TABLE OF CONTENTS 4.1.2 Communications........................................................................................... 24 4.1.3 Stakeholders................................................................................................. 24 4.1.4 Risk................................................................................................................ 24 4.2 Useful Practices......................................................................................................... 25 4.2.1 Optimize the Organizational Structures....................................................... 25 4.2.2 Establish Effective Governance.................................................................... 25 4.2.3 Diligently Research the Program or Project Prior to Approval.................... 26 4.2.4 Match the Manager and Key Team Members to the Program or Project.... 26 4.2.5 Listen to Experts........................................................................................... 27 4.2.6 Manage Integration Effectively..................................................................... 27 4.2.7 Focus on Change Management.................................................................... 28 4.2.8 Encourage a Resilient Mindset..................................................................... 28 4.2.9 Pay Attention to Small Signs that May Signify Major Changes................... 29 4.2.10 Avoid Oversimplification............................................................................. 29 4.2.11 Encourage Reflective Thinking................................................................... 29 5 NAVIGATING COMPLEXITY: THE ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE........................................ 31 5.1 Assessing and Navigating Complexity..................................................................... 31 6 COMPLEXITY SCENARIOS AND POSSIBLE ACTIONS............................................................ 37 6.1 Using the Complexity Scenarios............................................................................... 38 6.2 Complexity Scenario Mapping Example................................................................... 48 7 DEVELOPING AN ACTION PLAN............................................................................................ 59 7.1 Apply Critical Thinking.............................................................................................. 60 7.1.1 Review Sections 2 through 6........................................................................ 60 7.1.2 Review Assessment Data.............................................................................. 60 7.1.3 Review Standards, Knowledge, and Experience.......................................... 61 7.1.4 Perform Critical Thinking.............................................................................. 61 7.1.5 Build Action Plans......................................................................................... 62 7.2 Implementing and Managing the Action Plan.......................................................... 63 REFERENCES........................................................................................................................... 65 APPENDIX X1 CONTRIBUTORS AND REVIEWERS OF NAVIGATING COMPLEXITY: A PRACTICE GUIDE................................................................................................................. 67 ©2014 Project Management Institute. Navigating Complexity: A Practice Guide III TABLE OF CONTENTS APPENDIX X2 ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY—A LITERATURE REVIEW................................... 71 APPENDIX X3 MAPPING TEMPLATE FOR NAVIGATING COMPLEXITY..................................... 83 GLOSSARY............................................................................................................................... 93 INDEX...................................................................................................................................... 99 Introduction Organizational considerations Encountering complexity Pmi foundational standards and useful practices Navigating complexity : the assessment questionnaire Complexity scenarios and possible actions Developing an action plan References Glossary Appendix 1: Contributors and reviewers of navigating complexity : a practice guide Appendix 2: Annotated bibliography : a literature review. With greater organizational complexities looming on the horizon, PMI has introduced Navigating Complexity: A Practice Guide. This definitive guide expands upon the principles, tools, and techniques presented in the PMBOK Guide and other foundational standards, providing a streamlined approach to understanding and navigating complexity. Offering concrete examples of the best practices, this groundbreaking guide provides a relevant, applicable, and useful resource to help project management practitioners anticipate and comprehend complexity, and apply the appropriate tools and techniques for their organizations. -- Edited summary from book