📘 Summary of How Big Things Get DoneThe book explores why so many big projects—bridges, skyscrapers, power plants, IT systems, even personal projects like home renovations—fail in cost, time, and scope.

Drawing on decades of research, Flyvbjerg (a global expert on megaprojects) and Gardner identify the patterns behind failures and offer practical strategies for success.

🔑 Key Ideas

1. Most Projects Fail

9 out of 10 large projects go over budget, over time, or underdeliver.Famous disasters: Sydney Opera House (10x budget, 10 years late), IT projects abandoned halfway, Olympic Games consistently overspending.

2. Think Slow, Act Fast

Success comes from long, careful planning followed by rapid execution.

Contrast: Most failures rush planning and stumble in execution.

3. Reference Class Forecasting

Don’t rely on optimism or unique visions.Compare your project with similar past projects to predict cost, time, and risks realistically.

4. Modularity Wins

Break down large projects into smaller, repeatable units.Example: Pixar movies—each film is different, but the production process is standardized.

Contrast: Nuclear power plants—custom-built, making them complex and error-prone.

5. Power of Repetition & Scaling

Repetition leads to mastery. Amazon data centers, McDonald’s franchises, and IKEA’s stores succeed because they scale proven designs.

6. Avoid the “Edifice Complex”Big egos and iconic designs often drive projects off course (e.g., megastadiums, “world’s tallest” towers).Leaders chase symbolism over functionality, which breeds failure.

7. Skin in the Game

Projects succeed when leaders and stakeholders share risks and accountability.Failure is common where politicians, executives, or contractors can walk away with little consequence.

8. Biases & Human Nature

Optimism bias (“It’ll be fine”) and strategic misrepresentation (“Let’s downplay costs to get approval”) sabotage projects.

Recognizing these biases is essential for better planning.

9. The Hollywood Model

Big successes often come from assembling a temporary team of top experts (like film crews), aligned with a clear vision and then disbanded.

10. Lessons for Everyday Life

These principles apply not only to megaprojects but also to personal ones—renovating a kitchen, starting a business, writing a book.

Plan carefully, learn from others’ experiences, modularize tasks, and avoid ego-driven choices.

✅ Main Takeaways

Success = Careful upfront planning + Modular, scalable execution.

Failure = Rushed planning + Overconfidence + Ego-driven design.

Always use data from past projects (“outside view”) to ground your expectations.

Big projects are risky, but with the right approach, they can succeed—examples include the Empire State Building (finished ahead of time and under budget).

👉 In short: Think slow, act fast, learn from the past, and modularize. That’s how big things actually get done.