Keep the team as small as possible. Having been on several of these mega-projects, they seem to grow magically. People are attracted to the project like moths to a flame.

Get the entire team involved in identifying and evaluating project risks. Everyone looks at the project differently, and sometimes the input from the student intern can be vital.

How, like a moth, the simple maid / Still plays about the flame!

Projects are usually undertaken to either solve a problem or take advantage of an opportunity. The probability that the project - even if precisely executed - will complete on time, on budget, and on performance is typically small. Project management is utilized to increase this probability. So in a sense, project management is risk management.

Spend 10% of the project budget making sure you understand problem, the key technologies involved, and have looked at all of the options before you dive into the detailed design.

Keeping the risk management plan up to date can transform it from a door stop into a vital project management tool. Remember: what you don't know can kill your project.