Simple Rules reading list
External Resources
A short reading path for the project research, behavioural science, and practical evidence behind Simple Rules.
How to read this
Use outside evidence to sharpen project judgement.
These resources are useful because they point to the same core idea from different angles: project success improves when teams make important conditions explicit and use them before decisions harden.
Read them as prompts, not homework. Look for the rule hiding inside each source, then ask whether that rule would improve the project you are working on now.
Resources
Start with these four references.
Critical success factors in project management
A useful example of identifying project conditions across an organisation or group. It is a good starting point for seeing how recurring success patterns can be named and discussed.
Use it to think about which Simple Rules are shared across many projects, and which ones are specific to your context.
Read at PMIThinking, Fast and Slow
Kahneman’s work changed how many people understand judgement, bias, and heuristics. It is helpful background when thinking about why project teams can miss what is right in front of them.
Use it to balance expert intuition with checks that protect the project from common decision traps.
View the bookHow Big Things Get Done
Bent Flyvbjerg translates decades of project evidence into practical lessons about planning, optimism, risk, reference classes, and the work needed before a project scales.
Use it as a direct bridge between behavioural science and the Deliver a Project model.
View the bookHeuristics for Better Project Leadership
This paper gives useful background on creating heuristics and treats them as a positive leadership tool rather than only a source of bias.
Use it when you want to turn expert judgement into Simple Rules that project teams can apply deliberately.
Read the paperApply it
Turn the reading into working rules.
The value is not in collecting references. It is in choosing the few rules that will change what your project team does next.
Check your projectbefore the next big decision.
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Confluity Project Model sitemap
Model overview
What are Jobs?
The model is organised into three Jobs:
Job 1: Set the Direction – shape the purpose into options and a preferred way forward.
Job 2: Prove It Works – test assumptions and reduce risk before going big.
Job 3: Make It Happen – deliver at scale and make sure people actually use what you build.
What are Simple Rules?
The model contains simple rules. These are short principles drawn from experience that help you make better decisions. Jobs, tasks, and plays help you put those rules into practice.
What is a Play?
A Play is a method or tool that helps you apply a rule or complete a task. Use the recommended Plays first for simpler projects before exploring others.
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