The George Washington University's Advanced Master's Certificate In Project Management

5 high level, strategic project management training courses for experienced project managers to fulfil corporate goals

Course 5 - Leading Complex Projects Applying An Adaptive Systems Approach To The Management Of Complex Projects 16 – 20 December 2012 | Kempinski Hotel, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai, UAE

Click here for the full agenda

Registration will be at 07:30 on the first day. The course will commence at 08:00 every day and finish at 14:30. There will be breaks for refreshments at approximately 10:30 and 12:30 and lunch will be served at the end of each day’s sessions.

• Select leadership techniques to increase your odds of success\
• Apply the concepts of complexity science to project management
• Use ESI’s Complexity Indicator to assess your project’s complexity level
• Create an innovative framework for managing project complexity using ESI’s Complex Project Model and Process

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 anticipating 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 plan that provides the right level of control and flexibility for success?

To lead a complex project requires a new way of thinking – a new approach to applying known project management techniques and tools. Leading Complex Projects provides an innovative approach to assess project complexity and to deploy the best techniques to achieve success.

You will learn to use ESI’s unique Complexity Indicator and Complex Project Model to increase your effectiveness in controlling the complexity in your project. The Complex Project 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 favor!

The exercises and readings are designed to give you hands-on experience from a new perspective while determining the true level of project complexity and using complexity to assist rather than hinder progress. Among the tools provided is an automated template of ESI’s Complexity Indicator. Using your answers to 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® Guide.

This course is a must for the experienced project manager who needs to manage the seemingly unmanageable!

1. Understanding Complexity In Projects
   a. Elements of complexity theory
   - Complexity
   - Self-organization
   - Emergence
   - Nonlinear dynamics
   - Open/closed systems
   b. Leadership approaches and techniques
   - Competencies
   - Behaviors
   - Leaders in complexity
   
   
2. The Complex Project Model And Process
   a. ESI’s Complex Project Model
   b. ESI’s Complex Project Process
   c. Knowledge of complexity
   d. Communication
   e. Leadership
   f. Project management
   
   
3. Determining Project Complexity
   a. ESI’s Complexity Indicator
   b. Assessing complexity levels
   c. Applying the indicator
   
   
4. Communicating Project Complexity
   a. Communication platforms
   b. Risk and risk response
   c. Change management
   d. Problem solving
   
   
5. Designing For Complex Projects
   a. OBS, PBS, WBS
   b. Design tasks
   c. Planning for project execution
   
   
6. Leading Complex Projects
   a. Leadership levels
   b. Clear vision
   c. Principles for leading complex projects
   d. Disciplines for leading complex projects
   
   PMBOK® Guide Knowledge Areas:
   • Project Integration Management
   • Project Scope Management
   • Project Quality Management
   • Project Time Management
   • Project Cost Management
   • Project Risk Management
   • Project Human Resource Management
   • Project Procurement Management
   • Project Communications Management

Professional Development Units (PDUs): 30