PMBOK <> PMBOK Guide
The '
PMBOK' refers to all published knowledge, where as the '
PMBOK guide' refers to the document published by PMI that refers to a smaller subset of the PMBOK. This is a frequent point of confusion.
The statement that it is "
complex for smaller projects" might be made under the (incorrect) assumption that the PMBOK guide represents a formal approach to managing projects. The guide clearly states that it is up to the project team to select and use the knowledge appropriately. Many people hear the word "standard" and think that it is a prescriptive standard (in the engineering sense of the word); when
the intent is to describe generally accepted knowledge that requires judgment for proper application and results.