Complex Projects - Skills and Approaches Simon Henley MBE Rolls-Royce plc
Dec 15, 2014
Complex Projects - Skills and Approaches
Simon Henley MBE
Rolls-Royce plc
Introduction
• Normal Career as a Project/Programme manager
• Progressive increases in size/complexity
• Realisation that PM skills are necessary but not sufficient
• Growing PM as a profession
Complexity Has Many Sources
• Technical
• Political
• Environmental
• Organisational
• Skill/Experience
• etc
Complexity Introduces Non-Linearities into projects which do not respond to Linear Management methods
Complexity factors - JSF
Complexity Factors – A400M
Complexity Factors – TP400
(Organisation Conjoint de Cooperation en matiere d’Armement)
ExportCustomers
32,2% 25% 22,2% 20,6%
( Division of AIRBUS)
Germany France Spain UK Turkey BelgiumLuxembourg Malaysia
UMBRA
Complex vs Complicated
• Cost doesn’t necessarily correlate with complexity
• Technically difficult programmes can be complicated but not complex
• Technically simple programmes can be complex• Complexity characterised by
– Emergence– Uncertainty– Political influences
Complex vs Complicated
Tools for Managing Complexity
• Technical Tools
• Management Tools
• Social Tools
• Etc…tools
If a tool for managing complexity gives you an unequivocal answer, then the problem probably wasn’t complex in the first place
Technical Complexity
A Whole Systems Approach
DeliveringComplex
Programmes
Strategy
Governance
Leadership
Learning
Culture
Programme Skills
Real Life