A New Approach to Assessing and Measuring Project Complexity

RT-305 initially identified 40 complexity attributes and 92 indicators, and then tested them in a survey with indicator questions. The purpose of survey data was to determine which complexity measures were significant in differentiating between low- and high-complexity projects. The team received from 44 projects in all, with 14 responses for low-complexity projects and 30 responses for high-complexity projects. The data analysis resulted in 23 attributes and 37 complexity indicators, grouped into 11 categories that are significant in differentiating low complexity projects from high complexity projects. These complexity indicators are summarized in Table 1 of the research summary (Table 1, RS 305-1). The project complexity attributes and their indicators should be assessed uniquely for those indicators that are considered the most relevant to the specific conditions and influences describing a project’s complexity.