How Big Things Get Done

Recommended by my PM, a book on how complex projects work and how to manage them. Likely very useful in my role as a manager. Good book, practical and interesting, slightly outside my scope but it really clarifies 1) the fundamental problems of such projects and 2) how this can be applied to my cases. Start with simple ‘Lego’ blocks.

Notes

• 🔑 Think slow, act fast: slow in planning, very fast in execution
• Long projects open windows to risk: shortening duration reduces disasters
• Most projects fail: design starting from the typical failure, not the ideal success (they also fail because an initially manageable budget is needed or it will not get approved)
• Fat tails matter more than averages: a single disaster can ruin everything
• Slow planning is a competitive advantage, not a cost
• Planning is an iterative process, not a static document
• Never use the best case to estimate; it is often unrealistic
• Use the outside view: look at similar projects, not only your own
• Anchor estimates to real data, not intuition (and if you do not have data, estimate from similar projects)
• The first budget is often political; the real cost emerges later
• The main risk is you: beware of optimism, commitment, and uniqueness bias
• Treat the project as one of those, not unique
• You want pessimistic pilots and optimistic flight attendants
• Modularity: big projects built from many small, repeatable elements
• Repetition and experimentation improve the project; failing fast helps correct course
• Always clarify the end purpose: ask “why are we doing this project?”
• Build the right team: a competent team can make even a mediocre idea effective
• 🔑 Build with small blocks (Lego), scale up, and improve each iteration
• Give the illusion of choice: people respond better if they feel they have options
• Focus on risk before opportunity: mitigate fat-tail dangers
• Be ready to say no and walk away if resources or clear objectives are missing
• Create and maintain good relationships with stakeholders: prevent problems before they happen
• Integrate climate mitigation and other systemic risks into the project
• Recognize that the greatest risk is yourself and your behavioral biases