Enlightened Planning

Strategy, risk management and project management are often considered separately by those applying their principles—but at their most effective, all are dependent upon each other for success. Enlightened Planning teaches this holistic perspective and demonstrates how a synthesis of these approaches yields far greater opportunities. A strategic, calculated risk, for example, can be less inherently risky than chronic risk aversion over time.

Here, a respected specialist and teacher demonstrates how to become an 'enlightened planner', one that is aware of project, strategy and risk concerns, and their potential interplay. Following the core principle of Keep It Simple Systematically, he shows how organised, systematic thought processes can demystify the complexities of decision-making when considering a huge variety of concerns at once.

Supported throughout with real-life cases from the author’s considerable experiences with commercial organisations, it is also supported by a website containing even more cases, learning and teaching materials. This book is essential reading for any practitioner specialising in risk management, project management or strategy; as well as those teachers or participants in executive programmes.

“"The book is extensively illustrated with detailed practical examples from real life, including calculations and charts. The rich conceptual content and practical detail mean this is not a book you can read over a weekend. But tackled patiently, a section at a time, over a period, it will make most intelligent managers into better managers." Matthew Leitch is a consultant, author, business school educator and risk standards committee member whose website is "What the field urgently needs is thinking that takes us to the basics of what risk and uncertainty are, and looks at them in a fresh way. This book is indeed such thinking, introducing important new fundamental concepts such as 'clarity efficiency' and the 'estimation-efficiency spectrum'" - Professor Terry Williams is Director of the Risk Institute, University of Hull, UK. "The book is illustrated with practical examples drawn from the author's long experience of working with businesses and government departments in wide range of different industries and countries. If you deploy only some of the tools and techniques that are described, it is difficult to see how your planning process cannot become more enlightened." - Martin Hopkinson is a project risk professional and author based in Winchester, UK. "The book is illustrated with practical examples drawn from the author's long experience of working with businesses and government departments in wide range of different industries and countries. If you deploy only some of the tools and techniques that are described, it is difficult to see how your planning process cannot become more enlightened." - Martin Hopkinson is a project risk professional and author based in Winchester, UK.”

"The book is extensively illustrated with detailed practical examples from real life, including calculations and charts. The rich conceptual content and practical detail mean this is not a book you can read over a weekend. But tackled patiently, a section at a time, over a period, it will make most intelligent managers into better managers." Matthew Leitch is a consultant, author, business school educator and risk standards committee member whose website is

"What the field urgently needs is thinking that takes us to the basics of what risk and uncertainty are, and looks at them in a fresh way. This book is indeed such thinking, introducing important new fundamental concepts such as ‘clarity efficiency’ and the ‘estimation-efficiency spectrum’" - Professor Terry Williams is Director of the Risk Institute, University of Hull, UK.

"The book is illustrated with practical examples drawn from the author’s long experience of working with businesses and government departments in wide range of different industries and countries. If you deploy only some of the tools and techniques that are described, it is difficult to see how your planning process cannot become more enlightened." - Martin Hopkinson is a project risk professional and author based in Winchester, UK.

Chris Chapman is an experienced consultant, the basis of his research as Professor of Management Science at Southampton University. He has published widely on uncertainty, opportunity, and risk management for projects, operations and corporate management. He is a past President of the Operational Research Society.

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