This paper provides a substantially different but nevertheless valuable perspective on issues associated with initiating complex projects. It explores cognitive psychology and design literature to discover ways in which project managers may enhance the skills needed to help manage complex projects that might be described as 'wicked' or ill-structured. The process of defining project goals in such projects may benefit from a design-based approach using visual images as the predominant vehicle for problem exploration, search and construction of appropriate goals, goal paths and goal definition so that meaningful deliverables can be agreed and achieved. Solutions in such circumstances are understood as 'satisificing' solutions rather than optimal solutions. However the fields of cognitive psychology and design research assume a degree of stability in the problems investigated which is not found in complex projects. Particularly this applies to complexity emerging from changing client requirements and multiple key stakeholders, often manifested under the pressure of time and cost constraints. Although much of the research explored in this paper has focussed on relatively simple problem situations there is some promising research in the field of design which may inform development of project management practice.
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