Working Group B: What principles are important in dealing with complexity?

[ian mack]

#14562

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Hi Team – Three quick thoughts if I may.

I regret showing my frustration last evening. I think it has been at least 5-6 meetings now (since mid-October) since we started developing a new topic to explore. Granted we have spent two meetings addressing polarity mapping and took a break over XMAS. Nevertheless 5 months has passed and I would like us to land so we can try to move on?

Thanks for your post Stephen – Sadly I could not access the article beyond an intro, but it does seem to prove me wrong about PMs (though this guy was more senior I think, perhaps a portfolio manager) can repeatably succeed in complex endeavours. Live and learn – it is not my experience in the Canadian government for sure.

Thanks Greg and Davin for the link to the video clip “It’s not about the nail”. Something else Rob said in a separate communication might link to this (see below) – perhaps we need a video clip like the ‘only a nail’ example, but around planning for uncertainty as a theme that could lead one to accepting an “uncertainty-focused way of planning amidst what we call complexity”? Just a thought.

Ian

“The 1953-1961 US President Dwight D. Eisenhower emphasized that his experience as the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces in Europe during the Second World War taught him
that “plans are worthless, but planning is everything”. This sound contradictory: if plans are worthless, why bother with planning at all?  But Eisenhower’s observation has a meaning: while directly following the original plan in constantly changing circumstances is often not a good idea, the existence of a pre-computed original plan enables us to produce an almost-optimal strategy – a strategy that would
have been computationally difficult to produce on a short notice without
the pre-existing plan.”

[Davin Shellshear]

#14556

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In today’s meeting, Greg referred to a short video “It’s not about the nail’

Link to the video is    It’s not about the nail [https://vimeo.com/66753575]

[Stephen Grey]

#14555

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Following the meeting today, which included discussion of people who have been successful at implementing complex projects, this came to my attention

Steve Hodgkinson is renowned for turning around Victorian public sector IT project delivery

 

https://www.cio.com/article/307437/cio-exit-interview-steve-hodgkinson-victoria-health-and-human-services.html

[Davin Shellshear]

#14543

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Hi Ian,

First up – great Governance webinar. Thank you so much for sharing your experience so openly.

You are correct – the meeting is this week

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[ian mack]

#14542

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Davin/gentlemen – I have have missed it, but I have not seen the ZOOM call information for this week’s imminent meeting of WG B – or have I messed up the date too?   Ian

[Davin Shellshear]

#14464

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Thank you Andrew

I think you have produced a really great statement of our position with the polarity map.

I suppose the question becomes what do we do with this – I think it is very useful and produces a balanced view which hopefully can be used to approach those who are suspicious of complex approaches.

Might I suggest we consider this at the next meeting and then continue with our discussions on the new topic (the wording is still to be finalised – and the process of getting there is very interesting)

Cheers all

Davin

[ian mack]

#14439

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Wow, this is a super Deck Andrew. Much appreciated.    Ian

[Andrew Pyke]

#14436

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Team,

As per my action, I have endeavoured to document the Polarity Mapping work on Mural and in the discussion and posts, into a SIG “Out-Brief” ppt, including a Polarity Map of “Complex AND Linear”, for your consideration.  Where there are ICCPM-recognised references, I have utilised those to make it as concise as possible, which I trust will be acceptable to the SIG.  I have also added a “Background” section to get appropriate context, disclaimers, and citations in, as a matter of record.

Delighted to make any improvements that you see, so shoot them through.

As suggested by others, I would propose that next steps, if any, be discussed at the next meeting.

Apropos this question, I was recently refreshing on a principle of Agile that may guide us on next steps ;-)

AC + OC > V

that is, development should only proceed until actual cost + opportunity cost > value of further development; or in other words, when the actual cost of working on a product’s additional requirements plus the opportunity cost of not working on a different investment opportunity exceed the expected value of delivering those remaining product requirements, the team shifts to developing the more valuable investment opportunity.*

* Layton, Mark C.; Ostermiller, Steven J.; Kynaston, Dean J.. Agile Project Management For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)) (p. 16). Wiley. Kindle Edition.

 

 

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[Davin Shellshear]

#14333

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Hi Group B

I thought I would take the opportunity to share a bit more detail on the ICCPM model for considering aspects of a complex project. The model draws on ‘Remington, K., & Pollack, J. 2007. Tools for Complex Projects. Aldershott, UK: Gower Publishing company‘ to understand the aspects of Technical Complexity, Structural Complexity, Directional Complexity and Temporal Complexity.

Remington and Pollack had incorporated the aspect of socio and cultural complexity into the 4 aspects above, but ICCPM (like Group B) believed the socio and cultural complexity was too important in its own right, and separated it out. Attached is the ICCPM description of that aspect. Please read Remington and Pollack book for a full description of their four aspects listed above.

ICCPM has agreed to share this document on socio and cultural complexity with Group B participants, but please remember that ICCPM has copyright on this information.

Happy reading

Cheers

Davin Shellshear

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[Davin Shellshear]

#14324

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Thank you Ian for your thoughts.

The ICCPM complexity model can be found on the ICCPM website under Resources/what is complexity. Do you need more details on the ICCPM model?

Can I suggest that Group B participants focus on

*   exploring what we all think are the somewhat unique principles (Ian prefers ‘expectations’) of complex project execution, while recognising that complexity means that there are no templates to use without reflection and tailoring and this includes principles/expectations, as part of

*   finalising the work on the polarity map.

Andrew’s intent is to clean up the map we have developed to date, and the discussion from the last meeting would point to clarifying the unique principles/ expectations of complex project execution as the next obvious activity.

If you have other directions you would prefer, please post your thoughts on this forum.

Looking forward to our interesting journey at the next Group B meeting

Cheers

Davin Shellshear

[ian mack]

#14323

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Thanks to Davin and Andrew for their latest posts.

I find that using the ICCPM Definition Pictogram of a complex project allows me to identify the general attributes of a complex project in a practical sense in the domain I have my experience in (defence) as follows:

1. Structural/Directional Complexity – Large numbers of rapidly changing stakeholders, plus significant interdependence of activities
2. Technical Complexity – Significant project integration requirements creating schedule uncertainty and thus costly projects
3. Directional Complexity – Stakeholders who often have misaligned goals
4. Temporal Complexity – A dynamic environment typically as a result of the length of projects between launch and delivery
5. Socio-Cultural Complexity – The impacts of unsupportive cultures (risk aversion and lack of transparency) and personal biases

I would add that ICCPM has in the past partnered with companies that provide approaches to identify the difference between linear/reductionist and complex projects before launching projects, and to then act accordingly. I would also suggest that the standards for managing linear projects are in broad use to certify people to execute such projects, so one should expect that people in project management understand and can execute against the PMBoK (or equivalent).

For my perspective, the project management functions do not change appreciably in complicated or complex projects, but the tools and expectations should change and that is generally seen to require separate support ecosystems. My paper on governance and the upcoming Webinar on the same content are offered as an example in one facet of executing complex projects.

All to say that I think we should next focus on exploring what we all think are the somewhat unique principles (I prefer ‘expectations’) of complex project execution, while recognizing that complexity means that there are no templates to use without reflection and tailoring and this includes principles/expectations. Then we could loop back if desired to flesh out the polarity map we started in MURAL with Andrew’s further assistance?

For Andrew – I think the MURAL work you led has been superb and has armed me with a great template to use more generally, something I have now mused over twice. And as mentioned above, we might revisit what we started. Many thanks for that!

Ian

[Andrew Pyke]

#14322

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Team,

As discussed at the last meeting, I have taken the action to wrap-up the Polarity Map for Complex/Linear, as an output of the work done to-date.  I’ll do that as a ppt rather than on Mural, so that it can be used in other communications as the SIG wishes to, or incrementally improved.   It may be something useful to report-out.

I think the sentiment is: “Enough of Polarity Mapping for now – we got the hang of it as a technique and have a potentially useful output, so let’s wrap and move-on.”.    And, at this point at least, there isn’t an appetite to do other polarities.

[Davin Shellshear]

#14320

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Hi Group B travellers

Attached are notes from our second meeting on polarity mapping.
I found that the discussions raised a number of matters that provided value for me.

I hope you all find benefit from the notes.

Cheers

Davin Shellshear

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[Stephen Grey]

#14282

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Ian

I have not really taken to the polarity map, not yet at least

Perhaps with persistence I will

Not thinking as clearly as I would like with a viral, non COVID, infection but I’ll see what came out of the meeting today and take another run at it

Steve

[ian mack]

#14278

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Hi Team. I added a few comments to the current map. I do struggle with the concept, aside from addressing diametrically opposite stakeholder viewpoints – it seems to me that many of the items identified have simple answers. However as to a polarity that I intend to pursue on my own time, it relates to reporting risk treatment to senior tiers of governance: dashboards and (or) narratives.

See you for the next meeting as I continue to learn about polarity – Ian

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