Revisiting Task Complexity: A Comprehensive Framework

This paper sets out a framework for measuring task complexity. The presented framework is different from other task complexity measurement frameworks in that rather than focusing on the contributing factors to complexity, the focus is on the fine tuning the measurement context. The contributors to complexity at any given context are two things: the size of whatever is represented in the task context, which is the objective complexity; and the distance of those representations from a reference set (or representation) for simplicity. Anything contributing to reference for simplicity is necessarily subjective depending on factors such as familiarity, past experience, training, personal conditions, such as motivation physical and mental abilities etc. The framework promotes a shift from a focus on complexity clarification on simplicity clarification, thus promoting both gross and systemic as well as personalized approaches to alleviating complexity.