ETH Alumni Book Club's Inaugural Meeting
Organized by ETH MAS MTEC Alumni, the first Alumni Book Club meeting delved into 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.
Book Summary:
In How Big Things Get Done, Oxford professor Bent Flyvbjerg together with writer Dan Gardner, identified the common errors in judgment and decision-making that lead projects of all sizes to fail. Drawing from extensive research on large-scale projects, Flyvbjerg highlighted the poor track records of many significant projects, and the numerous biases present in planning and estimation processes. He exposed these biases, showing how they prevented projects from being completed on time, within budget, and with the expected benefits. Flyvbjerg also debunked arguments against thorough planning and presented research-based principles that could help ensure success.
With substantial data backing his insights, Flyvbjerg's book is a must-read for anyone interested in ensuring projects are completed without overruns.
Event Details:
On Wednesday, July 24th 2024, a diverse group of ETH Alumni, including professionals from IT, AEC (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction), environmental sciences, healthcare, robotics, physics, life sciences and the arts, gathered in the library of the historical external page Semper Observatory, to discuss the book.
Over the course of an hour, we reflected on our personal experiences and compared them to the challenges and solutions presented in the book. The discussion was enriched by the varied perspectives from our different professional backgrounds, providing valuable insights into how we can overcome similar challenges in our respective fields.
Following the book discussion, we continued our conversations over an Apéro at nearby Hot Pasta. Enjoying refreshing drinks and good food, we had the opportunity to further exchange ideas and insights inspired by Flyvbjerg's work.
Our first book club meeting was a success, offering both intellectual enrichment and enjoyable social interactions. We look forward to our next gathering and continued exploration of insightful and impactful books.
