Complexity in Managing Projects: Tools, Techniques, Causes and Theories

Running Head: COMPLEXITY IN MANAGING PROJECTS
Tools and techniques, causes and theories related to complexity in project management
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1COMPLEXITY IN MANAGING PROJECTS
Theories and ideas related to complexity in project management:
Failures in project management is explained by some theories like the complexity theory.
Theories help the project managers to identify the complex areas in a project and compare them
with project standards such that the complexity can be resolved. Several research has examined
and analysed the presumed failures in complex projects. However, project downfall continue to
occur in an unexpected way. The following paragraph will describe the complexity theory and its
effectiveness in handling complex projects.
Project management is outcome oriented and therefore unpredictable outcome is not at all
desired. Complexity theory helps to explain complexity better than the mechanistic theories.
Complexity theory is a combination of chaotic theory, information theory and cognitive
psychology. This theory does not change the natural and artificial systems. The theory strives to
explain the chaotic situation of the project when the outcome goes out of control. Complexity
theory allows system thinking and the part of the theory that enables it is the complex adaptive
systems (Obolensky, 2017). The adaptive system has some characteristics like the nonlinearity,
path dependency, distinction between cause and effect as well as emergence (Martinsuo, 2013).
Researchers argue that stability in the systems can reduce the project complexity largely.
Stability can be maintained by negative feedback loops. For example, in our body system when
the oxygen level in blood decreases the high breathing rates stabilizes the blood oxygen level.
Same concept applies in case of complex project management.
Reasons for complexity in projects, environments and properties:
As viewed by the authors, human behaviour is the major cause of complexity in project
management. It is the responsibility of the project managers to check the interaction among the