- Name: How Big things get done: The surprising factors that determine the fate of every project, from home renovations to space exploration and everything un between.
- Author: Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner
- Genre: Self Help/Business
- Book Post No. : 46
- What is it about?: This book talks about the factors which can make or break a project, be it a small project like a Kitchen Renovation or a mega project like building a new terminal of an airport. The author, who is an expert on troubleshooting projects which are delayed, over budget or are just in any kind of trouble, talks about why big projects routinely go over budget or over time and suggests ways those can be avoided. This is a must read for anyone working on a project no matter the size.
- How I came to read it? : I spotted this book in a book shop sometime ago and made it a point to read it some time. When I saw that my local library got it recently, I immediately borrowed it.
- Did I like it?: Absolutely! This is one of most useful books I have ever read. The best thing about it is that the factors mentioned in the book apply to all projects irrespective of the size. Basically any thing that you want to do in your life like buying a new house, redesigning your living room or just about anything is a project. All the factors mentioned in this book are applicable there. So its extremely actionable! I am already trying to apply it to some of the projects I am working on right now both at work and personally.
- Positives: Apart from the above point, this book is easy to read with lots of examples. And also its short. At the end the author provides a coda which mentions all the factors in a summary form which can be saved somewhere.
- Negatives: Nothing really.
- Any other personal notes, observations, fun facts etc.: One of the things I liked in the book was that there was a mention of a person named Michael Barnard who is a pretty vocal critic of many technologies in the renewable energy sector which he says wont work in our emissions reductions work. Interestingly I met Michael in an event in Vancouver where me and my friend got into a debate with him about Nuclear Power. Of course I did not know who he was at that time. It was an interesting discussion but I dont think Micheal will remember any of it. He may have met far more formidable opponents than me.
Pingback: The Intelligence trap || A 10 point book review – Razzaq Mohammed