How Big Things Get Done

The Surprising Factors Behind Every Successful Project, from Home Renovations to Space Exploration

Best Books of 2023 in The Financial Times
Shortlisted for Financial Times and Schroders Business Book of the Year 2023

‘Important, timely, instructive and entertaining’ – Daniel Kahneman, bestselling author of Thinking, Fast and Slow
'Entertaining . . . compelling . . . there are lessons here for managers of all stripes' – The Economist

Megaproject expert Bent Flyvbjerg and bestselling author Dan Gardner reveal the secrets to successfully planning and delivering ambitious projects on any scale.

Nothing is more inspiring than a big vision that becomes a triumphant new reality. Think of how Apple’s iPod went from a project with a single employee to an enormously successful product launch in eleven months. But such successes are the exception. Consider how London’s Crossrail project delivered five years late and billions over budget. More modest endeavours, 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. In How Big Things Get Done, he identifies the errors that lead projects to fail, and the research-based principles that will make yours succeed:

- Understand your odds. If you don’t know them, you won’t win.
- Plan slow, act fast. Getting to the action quick feels right. But it’s wrong.
- Think right to left. Start with your goal, then identify the steps to get there.
- Find your Lego. Big is best built from small.
- Master the unknown unknowns. Most think they can’t, so they fail. Flyvbjerg shows how you can.

Full of vivid examples ranging from the building of the Sydney Opera House to the making of Pixar blockbusters, How Big Things Get Done reveals how to get any ambitious project done – on time and on budget.

One of the best

"How Big Things Get Done" is one of the most outstanding project management books I’ve read. The author is undeniably qualified, having advised the UK government and overseen remarkable achievements, like the successful installation of around 20,000 classrooms in Nepal. The insights are concise, actionable, and incredibly well-written, while the narration is top-notch. Perfect narration and production. This book stands out as a must-read for anyone interested in project management or large-scale achievements. Easily one of the top books in the field.