Linda HillProgram Manager| MicrosoftRenton, Wa, United States
I am currently enrolled in the UW Sr. Project Manager Certificate Program. One of our assignments is to create a Project Complexity Matrix. Does anyone has a documented process or instructions they are willing to share? I would also appreciate examples, templates, etc. Saving Changes...
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George JucanManaging Partner| Organizational Perfomance Enablers NetworkWoodbridge, Ontario, Canada
In the next couple of days gantthead will publish one of my articles on this particular topic, temporarily titled “Complexity Matters” (title might change). It presents a framework and an assessment method, and has attached a template in Excel. It also has some indications about customizing the method for your particular environment.
Unfortunately I cannot send you the original – once accepted for publications the copyright is transferred to gantthead – but keep an eye on the upcoming articles. It may be exactly what you’re asking about.
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Linda HillProgram Manager| MicrosoftRenton, Wa, United States
Do you have any idea when gantthead will publish your articles? I sent an email to Mark Mullaly at gantthead on January 16th but have not had a response as of today, January 23rd. Thanks. Saving Changes...
George JucanManaging Partner| Organizational Perfomance Enablers NetworkWoodbridge, Ontario, Canada
Linda, please contact me at [email protected] to take this off-line and find a timely solution to your problem. Saving Changes...
Mark Price PerryBusiness Driven PMO Evangelist| BOT InternationalOrlando, Fl, United States
Hi Linda, have a look at Processes On Demand. Provided are processes, guidance, and templates including a customizable project complexity matrix.
Dear Linda:
Your questions is one that is asked my many organisations; but it isn't easy to give you a glib response.
In order to offer advice on the design of a complexity matrix, we need to go a little deeper into the context of the 'client' organisation and the reasons for creating the matrix.
The reasons I observe many organisations creating complexity matrices are to provide guidance to (1) portfolio balance and risk management; (2) project selection; (3) prioritisation of projects (4) matching the correct methodology to a project; (5) matching the correct PM to the project; and(6) closely related to the last, mid to long term project workforce planning.
A number of my client organisations have used a matrix to align projects to complexity scales of (1) simple, (2) standard, and (3) strategic) but these are obviously negotiable terms.
I am pleased to see a trend away from assessing complexity just in terms of cost and time, towards looking at much more broadly based complexity and risk factors. The descriptive elements of the matrix are based around organisationally-specific core characteristics such as (1) duration, (2) size of team, (3) technical complexity (3a) is the technical solution known or unknown (4) knowledge of the client (5) numbers of stakeholders (6) corporate risk impact of failure, (7) risk to the client (8) size of project team (9) whether the team is internally sourced or sourced from multiple organisations, and (10, oh yes, cost...
Typically, this matrix is set up on basic descriptors to give guidance as to what we mean by a simple, standard, or strategic ranking for the project in each of the above characteristics.
The project is scored overall, with the potential for weighting of the individual characteristic scores to derive a total score. Smarter organisations, IMHO, then use the total score as a yard stick, the results are evaluated by an experienced project board who are the ultimate authority for ranking the project as simple, standard or strategic.
Trust this helps
David Hudson, AFAIM, MAIPM, MPD (Australia) Saving Changes...
Linda HillProgram Manager| MicrosoftRenton, Wa, United States
David -
Thank you for the information. Do you have any templates or examples you can share?
Linda Saving Changes...
My apolgies Linda, I didn't pick up on your reply. Will get back to you ASAP with any examples I can refer. Don't hesitate to contact me directly on [email protected]
