How to handle big things

Have you got a big idea? Turn it into a real success – not an expensive mistake.

Why do some projects change the world while others end in disaster? And what can you do to make sure your project is one of the successful ones?
Whether you're planning a new start-up, a product development, a construction project, or even just a more complex event, this book will help you avoid the most common mistakes that cost time, money, and reputation.
The combination of cutting-edge research by Oxford professor Bent Flyvbjerg – a world-renowned expert on megaprojects – and the storytelling talent of Dan Gardner has created a practical and engaging guide on how to bring any project, of any size, to a successful conclusion. And all without nightmares and unnecessary losses. It will both educate and entertain you with a series of vivid examples, from the construction of the Sydney Opera House to the making of Pixar films, the development of the iPod, and a failed family home renovation in Brooklyn. You'll get concrete advice that really works.
What you'll learn in the book, among other things: why you should plan slowly but act fast, how important it is to think “from right to left”, how to build big things from small things – and why it's beneficial, and how not to let your own self-deception destroy you. Are you about to start a project? Read this book before you take the first step. It will be worth it.