How BIG Things Get Done, with Dr. Bent Flyvberg

#429: Have you ever thought about remodeling a kitchen? Retrofitting a camper van for #vanlife? Converting your basement into an Airbnb? Building a custom website? Recording an album? Did you worry that this project will cost more and take longer than you expected?  This episode is all about how to complete projects on-time and under budget.  Today's guest, Dr. Bent Flyvberg, is an Oxford University professor with a Ph.D. in urban geography. He’s published more than 200 scholarly articles on megaproject planning and management, decision-making, and social science methodology. He’s written or edited 10 books, including recently co-authoring “How Big Things Get Done.” He shares examples ranging from the Sydney Opera House to Pixar movies to the California High Speed Rail, illustrating why some projects flourished while others flopped. He joins us on today’s episode and talks to us about why some projects succeed while others turn into colossal disasters. He offers tips for how we can apply lessons from megaprojects to our own lives. Enjoy! Timing of discussion points as of February 2023: 02:19: Why are some projects on time and under budget and others aren’t? 03:24: The difference between successful and unsuccessful projects 07:38: Which questions do you ask when you’re choosing someone to work with on the project? 11:44: How cognitive biases and power dynamics and influence project outcomes 24:22: Why people forsake common sense when it comes to big projects 29:34: How to plan and iterate, knowing that things will change 39:26: The biggest risk to projects For more information, visit the show notes at https://affordanything.com/episode429 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Om Podcasten

You can afford anything, but not everything. We make daily decisions about how to spend money, time, energy, focus and attention – and ultimately, our life. How do we make smarter decisions? How do we think from first principles? On the surface, Afford Anything seems like a podcast about money and investing. But under the hood, this is a show about how to think critically, recognize our behavioral blind spots, and make smarter choices. We’re into the psychology of money, and we love metacognition: thinking about how to think. In some episodes, we interview world-class experts: professors, researchers, scientists, authors. In other episodes, we answer your questions, talking through decision-making frameworks and mental models. Want to learn more? Download our free book, Escape, at http://affordanything.com/escape. Hosted by Paula Pant.