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

437 Minutes

Published by HarperAudio.

ISBN:
978-0-593-62953-6
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(10 reviews)

2 editions

A good, linear reference

This book sets out to give the reader a framework to apply to any projects they try to tackle. In that way, it serves as a good, well-researched reference book of tips and heuristics to apply when conceiving of and planning a project. Additionally, reading it through from start to finish is well-structured and enjoyable. I listened to it as an audiobook, and for that, the quality start-to-finish is definitely appreciated.

A good book for people who want to understand how large projects succeed and fail, project managers, and anyone who works with project managers and wants to cultivate a little more empathy for them.

projects don't go wrong, they start wrong

I enjoyed the book, written in an engaging and fluid style that effortlessly weaves through various anecdotes. Additionaly, there are some real insights to gain which explain the failures of big infrastructure projects. Living in Berlin during the debacle of the Berlin Airport, I was particularly intrigued by the insight that projects don't simply go wrong; they begin wrong. Meticulous planning is important, which is impeded by strategic misrepresentation of cost, time, utility on a political level and the vanity of politicians ("start digging a hole in my term of office"). The book offers heuristics for project success, which can even be applied to endeavors as mundane as a kitchen renovation. I learned something about the world, so recommended.

Why big things don't get done

If the title is a question, Brent has collected data across thousands of large projects and found an answer that he reveals early. Big things get done over budget, late, and deliver less value than people expected. Or they don't get done. For the most part. Not by a little bit, either - big things fail by a lot. In a database of "16,000 projecgts from 20-plus different fields in 136 countries" he finds that "99.5 precent of projects go over budget, over schedule, under benefits, or some combination of these."

And it shouldn't be this way for big things. These are HUGE EXPENDITURES. Stuff like dams, nuclear power plants, healthcare.gov, and similar massive projects that people depend on succeeding. There should be lots of incentives to get it right.

Brent explores why this happens over and over again. He doesn't duck the question, he has real answers, like:

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Subjects

  • Business
  • Psychology
  • Domestic Politics

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