Waubonsee Community College

How big things get done, the surprising factors that determine the fate of every project, from home renovations to space exploration and everything in between, Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 239-274) and index

contains biographical information

illustrations

index present

non fiction

How big things get done

bibliography

1343008671

Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner

the surprising factors that determine the fate of every project, from home renovations to space exploration and everything in between

An Oxford economist and expert on mega-projects examines how the lessons learned through both their successes and failures can be applied to decision-making about any size project"The secrets to successfully planning and delivering ambitious, complex projects on any scale--from home renovation to space exploration--by the world's leading expert on mega-projects. Nothing is more inspiring than a big vision that becomes a triumphant, new reality. Think of how the Empire State Building went from a sketch to the jewel of New York's skyline in twenty-one months, or how Apple's iPod went from a project with a single employee to a product launch in eleven months. These are wonderful stories. But most of the time big visions turn into nightmares. Remember Boston's "Big Dig"? Almost every sizeable city in the world has such a fiasco in its backyard. In fact, no less than 92% of megaprojects come in over budget or over schedule, or both. The cost of California's high-speed rail project soared from $33 billion to $100 billion--and won't even go where promised. More modest endeavors, whether launching a small business, organizing a conference, or just finishing a work project on time, also commonly fail. Why? Understanding what distinguishes the triumphs from the failures has been the life's work of Oxford professor Bent Flyvbjerg, dubbed "the world's leading megaproject expert." In How Big Things Get Done, he identifies the errors in judgment and decision-making that lead projects, both big and small, to fail, and the research-based principles that will make you succeed with yours"--, Provided by publisher

Introduction: California dreamin' -- Think slow, act fast : the record of big projects is even worse than it seems -- The commitment fallacy : you need to commit, but not in the way you think -- Think from right to left : start with the most question of all: Why? -- Pixar planning : plan like Pixar and Frank Gehry do -- Are you experienced? : experience is often misunderstood and marginalized -- So you think your project is unique? : Think again. Your project is "one of those." -- Can ignorance be your friend? : planning ruins projects, some say. But is it true? -- A single, determined organism : everyone must row in the same direction : toward delivery -- What's your Lego? : modularity is the key to building at world-transforming scale -- Coda: Eleven heuristics for better project management -- Appendix A: Base rates for cost risk -- Appendix B: Further readings by Bent Flyvbjerg