How do integrated structures and software tools support

the management of the effects

of project complexity?

COMMENTARY

By Dr. Dimitris N. Antoniadis

London, UK

The sophisticated management of complexity in modern projects relies heavily on establishing clear, integrated systems. The author draws from several sources to demonstrate that integrated structures and software tools support the management of the effects of project complexity. Properly used they primarily provide a “single source of truth” and control the dynamic interactions and information flows that otherwise lead to uncertainty and issues.

The author provides below a comprehensive breakdown of how integrated structures and software tools achieve this.

Managing Project Complexity through Integrated Structures and Software Tools

Integrated structures and supporting software are essential mechanisms used by project control to deal with the effects of inherent complexity in projects (Antoniadis, 2018). Complexity itself is viewed as the natural consequence of the interaction of dynamic relationships (Antoniadis, 2018).

Integrated Structures as the Core Complexity Management Tool

The systematic application and standardisation of project structures are fundamental to managing complex interactions and ensuring information integrity throughout the project lifecycle (Antoniadis, 2018).

The Foundational Role of Breakdown Structures include:

1  Work Breakdown Structure (WBS): The WBS serves as the core structure for integration, ensuring fundamental clarity and mitigating future problems. A proper WBS is critical because it must contain all approved scope. The lowest levels of WBS elements should be unique to clarify precisely which scope and cost belong to each work package and control account (Antoniadis, 2018).

2  Managing Interfaces through the structures: Project control manages complexity arising from interfaces by combining primary structures to define relationships between different reporting elements (Antoniadis, 2018). For instance, combining the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and the Organisational Breakdown Structure (OBS) creates the Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) (APM, 2010). This explicitly defines which party is responsible for delivering which specific work packages (APM, 2006). Similarly, combining WBS and the Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS) creates the link between the work packages and the cost elements; therefore, much improved monitoring (Antoniadis, 2018).

3.  Enforcing Constraints (Downward Causation): The establishment of project structures, such as the WBS, manages complexity through “downward causation”—a complexity characteristic that influences the structure of data (Antoniadis, 2009 & 2018). This process essentially puts all project practitioners in a “loose straitjacket” by having higher-level structures set constraints on the parts, thereby regulating boundaries and reducing external influencing factors that exacerbate complexity (Antoniadis, 2018).

4.  Holistic Reporting and Roll-up: Other structures, such as the Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS), Organisational Breakdown Structure (OBS), and Risk Breakdown Structure (RiBS), use standardised coding which allows information to be grouped and “rolled up” efficiently to various management and strategic levels (Antoniadis, 2018). The RiBS, for example, is primarily used in client organisations where risks are rolled up to asset levels and potentially combined with other company risks (Antoniadis, 2018).

This structured approach also allows for the horizontal interrogation of information for specific departments, such as Finance (Antoniadis, 2018).

More…

To read entire article, click here

How to cite this work: 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

About the Author

Dr. Dimitris N. Antoniadis

London, UK

Dr Dimitris N. Antoniadis PhD MSc BEng(1^st) CEng FAPM FCMI MIMechE, based in UK, has 35+ years’ experience in Programme and Project Management positions, having covered project phases from concept to handover and operation/maintenance.

He is currently Director in the Programme, Project Management and PMO with DANTON PROGM, technical advisor to Novacept and has set up the BSc in Project Control that is currently delivered by the partnership between London Metropolitan College and the University of West London.

He has held Senior Management posts in major utilities, infrastructure and construction organisations delivering programmes of works ranging from £250M to £3.2Bn. As Head of Programme Management Office (PMO) he has set up and run the departments within challenging partnering environments, setting up all the processes from governance to reporting. He has also led / co-led major business transformation programmes for Client organisations in UK and abroad, integrating project management software tools with ERP systems.

He is the author of the book ‘Demystifying Project Control’; contributed chapters in books on complexity, leadership and other project management topics and has written a number of journal and conference papers. He has been a guest speaker at UK Universities as well as international conferences on various project management topics.

He was awarded the PhD, from Loughborough University, UK, on the subject of ‘Managing Complexity in Project Teams’, where he developed a framework for managing the effects of complexity on projects.

Parts of his work can be seen in www.danton-progm.co.uk

Dr. Antoniadis can be contacted at dnanton00@gmail.com