Bias Busters: A Debiasing Toolkit for Mindful Project Management (CPD)

Bias Busting

Bias is an invisible threat to projects—shaping decisions, distorting risks, and undermining outcomes without us even realising it.

Our CPD accredited Bias Busting for Project Management course is built on the principles of Mindful Project Management by Professor Elma Kutch. It introduces practical tools to help you recognise cognitive biases, foster self-awareness, and lead with clarity and purpose. With a focus on conscious decision-making and mindful leadership, this course will equip you to challenge assumptions, strengthen your judgement, and build project environments that are more resilient, inclusive, and adaptive
Write your awesome label here.

What are Bias Project Management? 

‘Bias’ might sound like something abstract or psychological—but in project management, it’s a very real and measurable threat. Biases influence how we forecast, plan, prioritise, and make decisions—often without us even noticing. From optimism bias to groupthink, these hidden forces can lead projects off course.

Our Bias Busting for Project Management course isn’t about theory for theory’s sake. It’s a practical, engaging introduction to the most common cognitive and behavioural biases that affect project delivery. You’ll learn how to spot them, challenge them, and use proven techniques to reduce their impact—helping you make more mindful, evidence-based decisions.

Like all our courses, this one is hands-on. Through real-life examples, interactive exercises, and tools drawn from Mindful Project Management by Professor Elma Kutch, you’ll gain the skills and confidence to lead with clarity and navigate complexity—no psych degree required.



 Why Busting Bias Matters in Project Management

Why Busting Bias Matters in Project Management
So why is understanding bias so important? Simply put, even the best plans can be undone by flawed thinking. When we make decisions based on gut feel, unchecked assumptions, or overconfidence rather than clear eyed analysis, we invite risk. In fact, the biggest risk to your project might not be external at all... it could be you and your own biases!

Our Bias Busting for Project Management course will help you recognise the hidden mental shortcuts that distort judgement in areas like forecasting, planning, and decision-making. You'll learn to critically assess the thinking behind project decisions, identify cognitive traps like anchoring and optimism bias, and develop practical strategies to challenge them.

By the end of the course, you’ll have the tools to reduce bias-driven risk, promote more objective decision-making, and foster a culture of psychological safety and clarity. And yes perhaps it’s time to consider whether your own bias belongs on the risk register too..

About the course

Who is our Bias Busting Course for? 

Bias Busting for Project Management isn’t just for senior leaders or decision-makers, it’s for everyone involved in delivering projects. Biases don’t just affect individuals; they can compound across teams, departments, and organisations quietly rolling up into major strategic misjudgements.

That’s why this course is designed to benefit project professionals at all levels. Whether you lead a team, support delivery, or contribute to planning and decision-making, developing bias awareness is essential.

Throughout the course, you’ll find practical exercises to complete individually or with your group, team, or wider organisation. These activities are designed to spark meaningful discussion, surface blind spots, and help embed a more mindful, evidence-based culture in your projects

Our Bias Busting Course is perfect for:

  • University Students
  • Graduates
  • Consultants
  • Project Delivery Professionals
  • Project teams

Testimonials

I found the course really informative and it gave me a great understanding of the fundamentals of risk management in a really approachable way. Great graphics and animations too.

Suzanne, Civil Service
A great introduction to data and data in project, would highly recommend the course
Shola A, Civil Service
A really fun and interesting course on the impacts of bias, loved it!
Ben B, Met Police
I would often hear the project term "Front-end-loading" and wanted to find out more, and this course was a great introduction to the topic
Eric, GSK
Brilliant course, the approach and learning style was much clearer than the current PM courses I’m doing in LinkedIn
John, Raytheon
Good to see key concepts and principles explained in a really digestible way
Simon, Senior Consultant
We completed the bias exercise in our team,  and it helped us to better understand the impacts of our biases and was a real eye opener, would recommend
Toby, PMO Lead
I would recommend the courses to anyone new in project delivery consultancy role, affordable, useful and dives into key basics which are often missed!
Sarah, Senior Manager

Course Lessons

Course Contents

Meet the instructor

Elmar Kutsch Professor of Risk Management 

Professor Elmar Kutsch is a leading authority in risk management, renowned for his expertise in navigating uncertainty, fostering organisational resilience, and enhancing high-reliability operations. As a Professor of Risk Management at Cranfield School of Management, he seamlessly integrates academic rigour with practical insight, drawing from a rich background in both industry and academia.

His professional journey commenced in Germany's IT sector, where he held senior positions overseeing complex projects for prominent clients such as Commerzbank, Deutsche Börse, and the Polizei Rheinland Pfalz. These experiences ignited his enduring interest in the dynamics of risk and unpredictability, leading him to transition into academia.

At Cranfield, Professor Kutsch has been instrumental in developing and delivering graduate apprenticeship programmes and tailored executive education courses that emphasise intuitive and outcome-focused learning methodologies. His pedagogical approach is characterised by experiential activities and paradoxical learning, designed to shift attitudes toward managing the unexpected. In recognition of his excellence in researching, developing, delivering, and publishing impactful case studies, he received the Cranfield School of Management Teaching and Learning Faculty award in 2017.

An avid skydiver with over 1,000 jumps, Professor Kutsch embodies the principles he teaches, applying the discipline and mindfulness required in skydiving to his professional focus on risk management. His scholarly contributions include seminal works such as "Organisational Resilience: Navigating Paradoxical Tensions" (2022), "Mindful Project Management: Resilient Performance Beyond the Risk Horizon" (2020), and "The Art of Organisational Resilience: Revisiting the Fall of France in 1940" (2018).

Introduction to Bias Busting

Enroll now and drive project success through data insights
Not for you? See all Our Courses
Created with