Leading Complex Projects

A must for the experienced project manager who needs help with managing the seemingly unmanageable.

Course Overview

Have you ever taken on a project that appeared just too complex to handle? Just trying to identify the multitude of variables to be managed, let alone to anticipate how they might interact to create unexpected challenges, can be overwhelming. So how do you determine the true complexity, with a clear understanding of the variables involved and move forward to develop a project management plan that provides the right level of control and flexibility for success?

To manage the complex project requires a new way of thinking—a new approach to applying known project management techniques and tools. Leading Complex Projects provides a systematic approach to assess project complexity and to deploy the best approaches and techniques to achieve success.

You’ll learn to use ESI’s unique Complex Project Complexity Indicator and Complex Project Management Model to increase your effectiveness in managing complexity. The Complexity Indicator is used as an assessment tool to determine the actual level of project complexity as the first step in developing a project management plan. The Management Model provides valuable insight into the variables that create the complexity of your particular project. It enables you to select existing tools from a new point of view that both limits the level of complexity and governs how the remaining complexity is used for positive results - in short, to stack the odds of success in your favour!

The heart of the course is a progressive, integrated case study that gives you hands-on experience in determining the true level of project complexity, governing the use of complexity to assist rather than hinder progress, and to lead the project team from a new perspective. Among the tools provided is an automated template of ESI's Complexity Indicator. By answering the questions in the Complexity Indicator, this tool automatically calculates your project's complexity level, and plots the strengths and weaknesses of your project against the nine areas of PMBOK®. This course is a must for the experienced project manager who needs a leg up in managing the seemingly unmanageable!

Course Topics

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1. Introduction to Leading Complex Projects
   1. Elements of complexity theory
      • Complexity
      • Self-organisation
      • Nonlinear dynamics
      • Open/closed systems
   2. Leadership approaches and techniques
      • Competencies
      • Behaviors
      • Leadership styles
2. ESI’s Complex Project Complexity Indicator
   1. Complexity indicator methodology
   2. Project agents, indicators and triggers
   3. Applying the indicator
3. ESI’s Complex Project Management Model
   1. Knowledge of complexity
   2. Communication
   3. Leadership
   4. Project management
4. Designing for Complex Projects
   1. Initial area of order
   2. Planning for complexity
   3. Emergence and self-organization process
   4. Planning tools
   5. Risk analysis and response planning
   6. Change management
   7. Decision structures
5. Leading Complex Projects
   1. Developing an innovative framework as the basis of your project management plan
   2. Strengthening project management execution and control in light of complexity
   3. Selection of appropriate tools and techniques
6. Personal Application
   1. Pulling it all together
   2. Transfer of learning - next steps