Overview:

There are many ways to improve your professional knowledge and skills. One way is to increase your knowledge by reading current and relevant project management books. We've created book clubs that are designed to be small discussion groups led by a facilitator.

It's an informal group meeting for a Saturday morning where one person serves as the facilitator to guide and promote discussion. It is an excellent way to meet other chapter members and open a dialogue regarding trends and challenges experienced by those in project management roles.
And, earn PDUs!

Current Book:

How Big Things Get Done: The Surprising Factors That Determine the Fate of Every Project, from Home Renovations to Space Exploration and Everything in Between

by Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner (Authors) 

 

 

One of The Economist’s Best Books of 2023

The secrets to successfully planning and delivering ambitious, complex projects on any scale—from home renovation to space exploration—by the world's leading expert on megaprojects.

Nothing is more inspiring than a big vision that becomes a triumphant, new reality. Think of how the Empire State Building went from a sketch to the jewel of New York's skyline in twenty-one months, or how Apple’s iPod went from a project with a single employee to a product launch in eleven months.

These are wonderful stories. But most of the time big visions turn into nightmares. Remember Boston’s “Big Dig”? Almost every sizeable city in the world has such a fiasco in its backyard. In fact, no less than 92% of megaprojects come in over budget or over schedule, or both. The cost of California’s high-speed rail project soared from $33 billion to $100 billon—and won’t even go where promised. More modest endeavors, whether launching a small business, organizing a conference, or just finishing a work project on time, also commonly fail. Why?

Understanding what distinguishes the triumphs from the failures has been the life’s work of Oxford professor Bent Flyvbjerg, dubbed “the world’s leading megaproject expert.” In How Big Things Get Done, he identifies the errors in judgment and decision-making that lead projects, both big and small, to fail, and the research-based principles that will make you succeed with yours. For example:

• Understand your odds. If you don't know them, you won't win.
• Plan slow, act fast. Getting to the action quick feels right. But it's wrong.
• Think right to left. Start with your goal, then identify the steps to get there.
• Find your Lego. Big is best built from small.
• Be a team maker. You won't succeed without an "us."
• Master the unknown unknowns. Most think they can't, so they fail. Flyvbjerg shows how you can.
• Know that your biggest risk is you.

Full of vivid examples ranging from the building of the Sydney Opera House, to the making of the latest Pixar blockbusters, to a home renovation in Brooklyn gone awry, How Big Things Get Done reveals how to get any ambitious project done—on time and on budget.

Location:

La Madeleine French Bakery & Café
900 W. State Highway 114
Grapevine, TX 76051

Cost:

There is no cost to attend this event. Attendees will be responsible for acquiring the book.

Agenda:

The facilitator will open the session and handle the meeting logistics. The group will rate and discuss the selected book.
Other book club business includes:

• Select the meeting facilitator for the next book (volunteer requested)
• Request a volunteer to write a review for the current book to be posted on the chapter website.

Want to learn more? See the Book Club webpage.

PDUs:
You can earn PDUs by simply reading the book. Under the new CCRS guidelines, reading is its own category ("Education - Read"). You can earn up to four (4) PDUs for reading the book selection. You will also earn two (2) "Informal Learning" PDUs for attending the meeting. One volunteer will earn an additional "Giving Back - Volunteering" PDU for writing a book review or (2) PDUs for facilitating the meeting.

The alignment to the Talent Triangle will vary based on the book selection. Please note that "Giving Back" PDUs has a maximum allowed per certification cycle.
Please note: Category limitations may apply.

Questions:
If you have questions, please send an This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to the book club manager.