How do you determine the complexity of a project?
In project management, you will be required to manage various projects, some of which will be much more complex than others. But what is a complex project? Larousse defines the word “complex” as: “that contains several parts or elements combined in a way that is not immediately clear to the mind; complicated, difficult to understand.”
For some, the complexity of a project can be measured, among other things, by its degree of novelty, its interdependencies and the technologies involved. For others, complexity is a completely subjective idea.
According to the Project Management Institute (PMI), the complexity of a project takes into account several elements such as the size and composition of the project team, the duration of the project, the schedule, the flexibility of costs and the scope of the project, the clarity of the problem and the solution, the clarity of the problem and the solution, the stability of the requirements, the stability of the requirements, the stability of the requirements, the strategic importance, the strategic importance, the level of organizational change, the level of organizational change, inter-project dependencies, political sensitivity, and the use of unproven technology.
What is certain is that the complexity of a project must be determined from the start in order to be able to allocate the human, financial and material resources necessary for its realization in the best conditions.
Learn how to estimate the complexity of a project to help you make the right decisions throughout the project.
The elements that influence the complexity of a project
Here are the five fundamental elements that will help you determine the level of complexity of your project.
1. The size and duration of the project
This seems pretty obvious, but the bigger a project is, the more tasks to complete, the more interdependencies between these tasks, deadlines to meet, and stakeholders involved, and the more complex the project is likely to be.
According to the PMI, projects with a duration of less than three months are considered to be simple, those lasting between three and six months are considered to be moderately complex, and those lasting more than six months are referred to as highly complex.
However, it is important to note that some large-scale projects may be simple, even if this is rare.
2. The cost
It's a fact: complex projects are expensive. If you accept a project with a high budget, chances are it will prove to be complex. According to the PMI, simple projects cost less than $250,000, moderately complex projects cost between $250,000 and $750,000, and very complex projects have a budget of over $750,000.
A project can have a high cost for many reasons, including the purchase of new machines or technologies, the use of new software, the establishment of new processes or working methods, the training of teams in these new tools, the need to hire more staff or to open offices in other regions or countries, the selection of additional suppliers and service providers, etc.
Although this is not a general rule, the majority of projects with a large budget are complex projects.
3. The team and the stakeholders
The more people involved in a project, the more difficult it will be to manage. Whether it's the size of the project team or the number of stakeholders involved, effectively managing a large number of people requires organization, coordination, and a lot of communication.
It is the numerous interactions between the various actors that make the project complex, because to avoid misunderstandings, omissions or conflicts, it is essential to ensure that everyone receives the same information, and this requires time and rigor.
In addition to the number of people, the composition of the team can also have an influence on the complexity of the project. Indeed, you will not manage a team composed of face-to-face employees in the same way as a remote (or hybrid) team or with employees based in the four corners of the world. The same thing if you use external service providers.
4. Clarity of the problem and/or solution
A project is carried out in order to solve a problem, to meet a need. When a project is complex, it is often because the problem to be solved is complicated for the teams to understand, or because the proposed solution is not very clear, difficult to implement or requires new technology or knowledge.
5. The stability of the requirements
Another criterion for determining the complexity of a project is the stability of the client's requirements or needs. A simple project will have requirements that are simple, easy to understand, and stable, meaning they won't change every week. Conversely, a complex project will consist of requirements that are difficult to understand, changing, or even not really defined.
In this type of project, managing change requests will take up a significant portion of your time. It would therefore be wise to appoint a person responsible for managing change requests, who will be responsible for acting as the link between the client and the team, and for transmitting the new requirements that are desired.
Moreover, the more complex the project, the more these changes will have an impact on the various departments of the company, or even modify or transform the organization of the company itself.
Conclusion
So is your project complex? Once you have determined what is the level of complexity of your project, you can mobilize the necessary resources and adopt the appropriate tools for its successful completion.
By choosing a powerful tool such as Wimi, you and your team will succeed in managing all your projects effectively and successfully.
