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Darnall-Preston Complexity Index Structure

16 December, 2015 - 11:30

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

  1. Describe each of the external attributes that contribute to project complexity.
  2. Describe each of the internal attributes that contribute to project complexity.
  3. Describe each of the technological attributes that contribute to project complexity.
  4. Describe each of the environmental attributes that contribute to project complexity.

The Darnall-Preston Complexity Index (DPCI™) is designed to develop a project profile that reflects different aspects of the project that will influence the approach to leading and executing the project. The DPCI is built on four categories of attributes:

  1. External. Environmental attributes that are in existence at the beginning of the project, such as size, duration, and available resources
  2. Internal. Clarity of project objectives, the clarity of scope, the organizational complexity, and stakeholder agreement
  3. Technological. Newness of the technology and familiarity of team members with the technology
  4. Environmental. Legal, cultural, political, and ecological

The DPCI was developed around four assumptions:

  1. All projects are unique.
  2. Projects have common characteristics.
  3. These characteristics can be grouped together to create a project profile.
  4. There is an optimum execution approach for each project profile and therefore an optimum set of skills and experience for the project manager and execution team.