How Big Things Get Done by Bent Flyvbjerg & Dan Gardner - Business Non Fiction - Paperback

Details
Condition: Brand New
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781035018956
Publisher: Pan Macmillan (Macmillan Business)

Overview
How Big Things Get Done is the definitive guide to why some ambitious projects triumph while others collapse into delay and debt. Written by Oxford megaproject expert Professor Bent Flyvbjerg with bestselling author Dan Gardner, this paperback distils decades of research into practical, research-backed principles. From kitchen renovations to space missions, it shows planners, managers and curious readers exactly what separates success from costly failure.

About the Book
Understanding what distinguishes triumphant projects from disastrous ones has been the life's work of Professor Bent Flyvbjerg, whose database of megaprojects is unrivalled in scope. Teaming up with journalist and psychology author Dan Gardner, he turns years of rigorous study into an accessible, story-driven guide for anyone planning something big or small. The book moves fluidly between household names and everyday endeavours: the astonishing eleven-month sprint that delivered Apple's iPod, the years-late and billions-over-budget saga of London's Crossrail, the Sydney Opera House, the Empire State Building, and even a humble kitchen extension. Rather than treating these as isolated anecdotes, Flyvbjerg and Gardner extract repeatable principles - understand your true odds before you start, plan slowly but act quickly once committed, think from the end goal backwards, build big things from small, modular, testable pieces, and prepare deliberately for the unknown unknowns that derail so many plans. The result is a rare business book that is both intellectually rigorous and genuinely entertaining, packed with vivid case studies rather than dry theory. It has been named a Best Book of the Year by the Financial Times and the Economist, and shortlisted for the FT & Schroders Business Book of the Year Award, cementing its place as one of the most talked-about project management books of recent years.

• Grounded in the world's largest dataset of megaproject outcomes
• Packed with real case studies: Apple, Crossrail, Sydney Opera House, Pixar and more
• Clear, repeatable principles applicable to projects of any size
• Engaging, narrative-led writing that avoids dry business jargon
• Ideal for managers, entrepreneurs, students and home renovators alike
• Widely praised by the Financial Times, The Economist and Daniel Kahneman

About the Authors
Bent Flyvbjerg is the first BT Professor at Oxford University and VKR Professor at the IT University of Copenhagen. Widely regarded as the world's leading megaproject expert, he has consulted on over one hundred projects each costing $1 billion or more. Dan Gardner is a New York Times bestselling author, speaker and consultant whose earlier books on psychology and decision-making have been published in 25 countries. Together they combine rigorous research with compelling storytelling.

Why You'll Love This Book
Whether you're managing a multi-billion-pound infrastructure scheme or simply trying to finish a home renovation on time, this book delivers clear, evidence-based lessons you can apply immediately - all wrapped in genuinely gripping storytelling.

Please Note: Cover design and edition may vary slightly from the image shown; this listing is for the UK paperback edition with ISBN 9781035018956.