What is the Planning Fallacy?

Ah, the Planning Fallacy! Let's think about it in terms of soccer.

Have you ever thought you could score a goal in just a couple of minutes, but it took the whole game, or maybe you didn't score? That's a bit like what we call the Planning Fallacy.

In project management, the Planning Fallacy is when we think we can finish something faster or easier than we actually can. It's like when you think it will only take 5 minutes to clean up all your toys, but it actually takes 20 minutes because there are so many toys, and some are hiding under the bed!

Sometimes, we're too optimistic or forget about possible problems that might slow us down. Maybe your little brother wants to play too and keeps stealing your toys, or maybe you can't find the exact piece you need to finish your castle.

So, the Planning Fallacy is something we must be careful of when planning how long something will take. We must always remember that things might not go as expected, and that's okay!