Whether managing complex projects or implementing complex program or project management, complexity is an important topic in the project management field. This topic has been much researched in recent years, and much has been published on the topic. This section of the PM World Library provides access to a few useful resources on these topics.
Resources are listed below in sections alphabetically by author last names. The listings are in citation format for ease of use by students and researchers. NOTE: Be sure to click the link and study a resource before citing it in an article, paper, presentation or report.
PM World Journal
There have been several articles and papers related to complexity previously published in the PM World Journal and now included in the PM World Collection at https://pmworldlibrary.net/pm-world-collection/.
Organizations
International Centre for Complex Project Management (Australia) - a not-for-profit peak body dedicated to building organisational capability in complex project management. Learn more at https://iccpm.com
Papers, Reports, Studies
Alrashid, R. (2025). Risk, Change and Complexity: The Triple Threat to Mega-Project Control In Saudi Arabia & Beyond, PM World Journal, Vol. XIV, Issue X, October. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/pmwj157-Oct2025-Alrashid-Risk-Change-Complexity-Triple-Threat-to-Mega-Project-Control.pdf
Caressa, M and Pirozzi, M (2021). An Innovative Integrated Approach to Manage Effectively the Complex Projects, Programs, and Portfolios; PM World Journal, Vol. XI, Issue I, January. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/pmwj113-Jan2022-Pirozzi-Caressa-Innovative-Integrated-Approach-to-Manage-Effectively-Complex-Projects.pdf
Ika, L. (2022). The Journey towards Profound Simplicity: How to Effectively Navigate Complexity in Projects; originally published in PM Review in China, republished in the PM World Journal, Vol. XI, Issue VI, June. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/pmwj118-Jun2022-Ika-journey-towards-profound-simplicity.pdf
Ika, L., Coullard, J., Garon, S. (2021). Coping with Project Complexity: The Complexity Based Project Management Framework; PM World Journal, Vol. X, Issue V, May. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/pmwj105-May2021-Ika-Couillard-Garon-coping-with-project-complexity.pdf
Mahoney, D. and Milovidov, I. (2024). Mastering Chaos: How Successful Project Managers Overcome Challenges in the Digital Workspace; PM World Journal, Vol. XIII, Issue III, March. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/pmwj139-Mar2024-Mahoney-Milovidov-mastering-chaos-QTalo.pdf
Montreuil, S. and Bredillet, C. (2024). Performance limiting factors for complex projects within the Royal Canadian Air Force; PM World Journal, Vol. XIII, Issue V, May. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/pmwj141-May2024-Montreuil-Bredillet-performance-limiting-factors-for-complex-projects.pdf
Pace, M. (2019). Can complex adaptive systems help the wicked problem that is project management? presented at the 13th Annual UT Dallas Project Management Symposium, Richardson, Texas, USA in May 2019; published in the PM World Journal, Vol. VIII, Issue VII, August. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/pmwj84-Aug2019-Pace-can-complex-adaptive-systems-help-wicked-project-management.pdf
Prieto, R. (2025). Managing Uncertainty in Large Complex Projects, PM World Journal, Vol. XIV, Issue XI, November. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/pmwj158-Nov2025-Prieto-Managing-Uncertainty-in-Large-Complex-Projects-3.pdf
Prieto, R., Hajiya, A. (2024). Managing Complexity in Large Complex Projects, PM World Journal, Vol. XIII, Issue XI, December. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/pmwj147-Dec2024-Prieto-Hajiya-Managing-Complexity-in-Large-Complex-Projects.pdf
Prieto, R. (2024). Navigating Complexity, PM World Journal, Vol. XIII, Issue VI, June Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/pmwj142-Jun2024-Prieto-Navigating-Complexity.pdf
Prieto, R. (2024). Quantum Project Management and the Concept of Space-time, PM World Journal, Vol. XIII, Issue V, May. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/pmwj141-May2024-Prieto-Quantum-Project-Management-and-Concept-of-Space-time.pdf
Prieto, R. (2024). Measurement of Complexity in Large Complex Projects, PM World Journal, Vol. XIII, Issue IV, April. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/pmwj140-Apr2024-Prieto-Measurement-of-Complexity-in-Large-Complex-Projects.pdf
Prieto, R. (2024). Quantum Project Management, PM World Journal, Vol. XIII, Issue I, January 2024. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/pmwj137-Jan2024-Prieto-Quantum-Project-Management-.pdf
Prieto, R. (2020). Decision Making Under Uncertainty; PM World Journal, Vol. IX, Issue XI, November. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/pmwj99-Nov2020-Prieto-Decision-Making-Under-Uncertainty.pdf
Sohi, A. J., Hertogh, M., Bosch-Rekveldt, M., Blom, R. (2016). Does lean & agile project management help coping with project complexity? ScienceDirect journal; Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, Volume 226, 14 July 2016, Pages 252-259. To access this paper, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042816308722 (Kumar)
Tain, D. (2019). Capitalizing on Complexity in Modern Business Environments: A Network-Based Perspective for Projects and Organizations; PM World Journal, Vol. VIII, Issue II (February). Available online at https://pmworldjournal.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/pmwj79-Feb2019-Tain-capitalizing-on-complexity-in-modern-business-featured-paper.pdf
Thiry, M. (2011). Ambiguity management: the new frontier. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2011—North America, Dallas, TX. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute. Available at: https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/ambiguity-management-new-frontier-6285 (Dantas)
Williams, T. (2017). The Nature of Risk in Complex Projects. Project Management Journal, 48(4), 55–66. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328020506_The_Nature_of_Risk_in_Complex_Projects (Dantas)
Zidane, Y. J-T. (2025). Delivering Fast, Managing Smart: How Flexibility, Uncertainty and Complexity Shape Project Speed; peer reviewed paper, PM World Journal, Vol. XIV, Issue XI, November. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/pmwj158-Nov2025-Zidane-Delivering-Fast-Managing-Smart.pdf
Articles, Blogs, Opinions
Antoniadis, D. N. (2025). How do integrated structures and software tools support the management of the effects of project complexity? commentary, PM World Journal, Vol. XIV, Issue XII, December. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/pmwj159-Dec2025-Antoniadis-Complexity-Structures-and-Software.pdf
Keenan, S. (2024). Avoiding the Biggest Pitfalls When Managing Complex Pharma Projects, PM World Journal, Vol. XIII, Issue VII, July. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/pmwj143-Jul2024-Keenan-avoiding-biggest-pitfalls-managing-complex-pharma-projects.pdf
Lanier, A. (2023). Managing for Complexity, PM World Journal, Vol. XII, Issue VI, June. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/pmwj130-Jun2023-Lanier-managing-for-complexity-2.pdf
Olaghere, J. (2025). The Human Edge in Complex Programmes: What a 2013 Rail Study Still Gets Right in 2025, PM World Journal, Vol. XIV, Issue X, October. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PMJW157-Oct2025-Olaghere-Human-Edge-in-Complex-Programmes.pdf
Prieto, R. (2021). Rethinking Interface Management, PM World Journal, Vol. X, Issue VIII, August. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/pmwj108-Aug2021-Prieto-Rethinking-Interface-Management.pdf
Smith, K. F. (2022). Analyzing Risks “By the Numbers”: A “Quick & Easy” Approach to Quantifying Complexity, PM World Journal, Vol. XI, Issue VIII, August. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/pmwj120-Aug2022-Smith-analyzing-risks-by-the-numbers.pdf
Villanyi Bokor, C. (2020). There are complicated and there are complex projects; The Problem with Complexity, Part 2, PM World Journal, Vol. IX, Issue XI, November. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/pmwj99-Nov2020-Bokor-the-problem-with-complexity-2-complicated-and-complex-projects.pdf
Villanyi Bokor, C. (2020). The Problem with Complexity: What do you think? We have 30 seconds (part 1), PM World Journal, Vol. IX, Issue VIII, August. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/pmwj96-Aug2020-Bokor-the-problem-with-coplexity-30-seconds-part1.pdf
Books, Book Reviews
Gwaze, C. E. M. (2024). Projects and Complexity, book review, PM World Journal, Vol. XIII, Issue I, January. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/pmwj137-Jan2024-Gwaze-Projects-and-Complexity-book-review.pdf
Jackson, S. R. (2019). Everyday Chaos: Technology, Complexity, and How We’re Thriving in a New World of Possibility, book review, PM World Journal, Vol. VIII, Issue XI, December. Online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/pmwj88-Dec2019-Jackson-Everyday-Chaos-book-review.pdf
Quintero, A. (2023). Leading Complex Projects, book review, PM World Journal, Vol. XII, Issue II, February. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/pmwj126-Feb2023-Quintero-complex-project-management-book-review.pdf
Other Resources
More coming soon
This section of the library is a work in progress. If you know of good resources to add here, please let us know. If you are a student and might like to help, consider our research internship. Click here for information or contact help2@pmworldlibrary.net
This section of the PMWL created in April 2018