Managing Complex Projects and Programs: How to Improve Leadership of Complex Initiatives Using a Third-Generation Approach

Glossary of Newly Introduced Terms

Business governance committee

A committee of stakeholders convened to govern how projects or programs utilize an organization’s assets. Common business governance committees include portfolio review committees and resource review committees. Business governance committees usually assume responsibility for compiling and maintaining accurate information about resource needs of organizational projects and programs, for conducting analyses of those needs according to preferred organizational practices, and for ensuring that resources are used in a manner that is consistent with an organization’s defined priorities. The decision-making versus advisory responsibilities of such committees may vary from organization to organization. (Chapter 7)

Directional complexity

See stakeholder complexity. (Chapter 4)

Directional uncertainty

See stakeholder uncertainty. (Chapter 4)

Enabling conditions

Organizational conditions that support the pursuit of organizational projects or programs. Enabling conditions established by organizations might be expected to include, for example, the conditions that provide support in the form of resources (human and financial), infrastructure (technological and physical), and oversight (leadership, management, and governance) of an organization’s projects and programs. (Chapter 6)

Environmental complexity

The complexity associated with managing environmental uncertainty. (Chapter 4)

Environmental uncertainty

The uncertainty ...