In my free time, I love solving chess puzzles. Finding that “mate in 3” delivers a satisfying dopamine boost. Chess follows fixed rules with calculable outcomes. Yet, the environments we face as requirements engineers in complex software projects are not bound by clear rules. Stakeholders have conflicting interests, and political alliances may be unknown. Complex, ever-changing environments can make it feel almost impossible to determine the right direction for a project and its requirements. In complex situations, it is tempting to achieve clarity by (over)simplifying. However, this can create dangerous blind spots that lead to underestimating critical risks or wasting resources.

This talk will define different levels of complexity in a situation and outline approaches to navigating complex environments. This will help you navigate complex systems and balance conflicting, changing stakeholder perspectives. By embracing complexity rather than fighting it, you might discover that navigating uncertainty can deliver its own kind of dopamine hit!

Laura Kester is Requirements Engineer and Product Owner at Info Support, with a background in interaction technology and user experience research.