Many projects are approved with timelines and budgets that resemble fiction more than fact, leaving project managers with the impossible task of turning fantasy into reality. In this thought-provoking session, we’ll dive into why people are inherently poor estimators and how psychology plays a surprisingly influential role in how we approach estimating time and cost.

Drawing from real-world experience and modern research, Stories will be shared to illustrate how the standard textbook estimation methods can fail to secure project approval or inevitably lead to cost and schedule overruns.

Explore why experience often outperforms education, how to deliver tough news, and communicate estimates effectively with your entire team. Uncover why thinking “Beyond the Ordinary” is crucial to getting your project approved—and set up for success with a schedule and budget that are achievable.

Key Takeaways:

• Apply practical insights about human behavior
• Enhance project performance and likelihood of success
• Leverage ranges, probabilities, biases, and psychological anchoring
• Navigate both the approval process and ongoing project control