---
ref_id: REF-21
ref_type: Companion
ref_index: 21
shortcode: Complexity
name: Navigating Complexity — A Practice Guide
status: Active
version: "1.0.0"
file_path: "reference/companion-references/REF-21.md"
pmbok8_source: "PMBOK8 Standard §3.3 (Holistic View) · §3.9 (Complexity) · Guide §2.3 (Development Approach)"
last_updated: "2026-06-03"
---

# REF-21 — Navigating Complexity: A Practice Guide
**Shortcode:** Complexity  
**Publisher:** Project Management Institute (PMI), 2014  
**Authority:** PMBOK8 Companion — Complexity Assessment and Adaptive Response  
**Version:** 1.0.0 · **Status:** Active

## Full Bibliographic Citation
Project Management Institute. (2014). *Navigating Complexity: A Practice Guide*. Project Management Institute. Official release: https://www.pmi.org/standards/complexity

## What This Reference Adds Beyond PMBOK 8
This guide provides a framework for identifying, assessing, and responding to project complexity — the conditions of uncertainty, ambiguity, dynamic change, and human behaviour interactions that make project outcomes difficult to predict. It defines four complexity dimensions (technical complexity, directional complexity, temporal complexity, social complexity) and recommends adaptive delivery and governance responses for each. It is the primary reference for tailoring decisions on high-complexity projects.

## PMBOK 8 Domain and Principle Coverage

| PMBOK 8 Element | Complexity Contribution |
|---|---|
| P1 — Adopt a Holistic View | Complexity as a system-level property: requires systems thinking response |
| Development Approach (§2.3) | Complexity assessment as a key input to lifecycle selection |
| Risk Performance Domain (§2.7) | Complexity-induced uncertainty as a distinct risk category |
| P7 — Tailor Based on Context | Complexity dimensions inform tailoring decisions |

## PMOSkills Artifact and Skill Connections

| Item | Connection |
|---|---|
| A06 — Tailoring Decision Record | Complexity assessment informs tailoring choices documented in A06 |
| A13 — Development Approach and Lifecycle Record | Complexity level is a primary input to lifecycle and approach selection |
| SKL-03-02 — Select Development Approach | Complexity dimensions from this guide inform adaptive vs. predictive selection |

---
*Authority: PMI Navigating Complexity (2014) · PMBOK8 §3.3, §3.9, §2.3*  
*Repository: https://github.com/fakhruldeen/PMOSkills*
