Think slow, act fast is the secret of success

In the realm of project management, there is an inverse relationship between speed of thinking (i.e., planning) and acting.

• “Think fast, act slow” – When thinking and planning is hasty, the actual work of delivering the desired outcome tends to be beset by unexpected slowdowns and budget overruns.
• Think slow, act fast – When time is invested up front to fully understand the actual problem as well as the goal and design a solution that achieves the goal and solves the actual problem, the likelihood of achieving the desired outcome on time and under budget are much higher.

Thus, Flyvberg and Gardner argue:

Think slow, act fast: That’s the secret of success. … But “Think slow, act fast” is not how big projects are typically done. “Think fast, act slow” is. The track record of big projects unequivocally shows that.^[1]

#management #cognition #effectiveness

See also:

• Bias for action can mask a bias against thinking
• Design thinking seeks to discover and solve the actual problem
• Successful projects develop a clear, informed understanding of the goal
• Double diamond implements design thinking