Report · January 2026
Pulse of the Profession 2026: Driving Success in Complex Projects
Published by Project Management Institute (PMI), not Oxford SBM
PMI's annual industry report on how professionally managed projects are navigating escalating complexity from AI, digital transformation and geopolitical shifts.
Key findings
Summarised from the published report. For full methodology and data, read the original at Project Management Institute (PMI).
- 97% of project professionals say they managed at least one complex project in the past year, with over half describing it as significantly complex.
- High performers succeed not because they face less complexity, but because they focus on outcomes over activity, alignment over compliance, and learning over certainty.
- Organisations with a mature Project Management Office report a 63% success rate managing project complexity, versus 57% without one.
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