Put yourself in the role of a project manager collaborating with MTD, an events company.
Considering the difficulties and problems that MTD encounters in their projects, what insights have you gained this week that could offer assistance?
If an iterative approach were employed in organizing an event as a project, what would be the consequences? Similarly, what are the implications of adopting an agile approach? If the company sought your advice, what would you recommend?
Contribute your thoughts and ideas to the discussion.
Considering some of the challenges MTD has encountered as an event organising company, project environmental conditions vary from stable to unstable environments hence the options of linear, iterative and hybrid are all valid options to be considered to deliver successful projects.
If a linear approach was employed in organizing an event as a project, what would be the consequences?
Linear project structures offer clarity, predictability, progress tracking, less adaptable to change and innovation compared to more iterative or agile approaches. It’s essential to carefully consider the specific needs and characteristics of each project when selecting the most appropriate project structure.
Similarly, what are the implications of adopting an agile approach?
By embracing agile methodologies, MTD can better navigate complexity and ambiguity in operating environments which typifies many of its working situation. Agile fosters collaboration, adaptability, and customer-centricity to achieve goals in dynamic and uncertain environments.
If the company sought your advice, what would you recommend?
There has been a tendency in the project profession to regard linear and iterative project methods and lifecycles as incompatible – or even irreconcilably opposed. But this is changing in the project management world: the profession now recognises the value of both linear and iterative methods, and the spectrum of techniques and practices that they offer to deliver successful projects in volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environments.
The project profession now recognises that linear, iterative and mixed or hybrid approaches present a spectrum of methods and practices, and an extensive toolkit for project managers to use when facing the myriad challenges of projects in a complex world. All are viable options depending on project need and circumstances.
As a PM, this would be my suggestion to MTD. Yes, Linear and Iterative approach would bring solutions that will enhance quick delivery of the project but team members would have to be trained so that they can fit into the work flow system, since the iterative method will create synergy and bring speed and it is repeatable.
Considering the difficulties that MTD encounters, I suggest that the Linear and iterative approach be applied in executing the project. This is beneficial for flexibility. i.e, if the linear approach is appearing like it’s time consuming and it not fulfilling the desired outcome, the project manager can easily switch to iterative approach which will speed up the project and at the end becomes satisfactory to the end users.
Iterative approach has its benefits and likewise it’s challenges.
This is a very fast approach where it’s focus on completion of projects.
It also has the interest of the end users as project can be completed at their pace.
This approach also depends on feedback from users and manges time perfectly.
Its implications includes: depending on feedback from users and not getting adequate time to carry out necessary processes online the linear approach.
Agile approach nullifies the difficulty of the VUCA i.e the vitality, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity that managers face while executing a project because the software was designed to cater for challenges in relating to that.
I will advice MTD to go for Agile.
As a project manager in MTD i will surely apply linear and iterative approach. The linear approach follows stage by stage and must be completed before another i feel this approach can be easily understood and in the area of iterative project, they aid in feedback and building the right solution and in this approach it works in the area of protocol, minimum viable products and agile is introduce. There are benefits which come under agile, they include: transparency, speed, scrumb framework, planning meetings etc.
As a project manager in MTD i will apply linear and iterative approach. The linear approach follows stage by stage and must be completed before another i feel this approach can be easily understood and in the area of iterative project, they help in feed back and building the right solution and in this approach it works in the area of protocol, minimum viable products and agile is introduce. There are benefits which ckme under agile, they include: transparency, speed, scrumb framework, planning meetings etc.
The implication of an iterative approach is that projects are conceived as experiments, executed in bits and pieces, with speed and accuracy, and by competent hands, and are programmed for completion and user satisfaction. Therefore the attendant consequences are that team members must be skillful, open to risks and learn new things, fast, committed and tactful.
I have learnt that we live in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and an ambiguous (VUCA) world, therefore, my advise to MTD would be to:
Break down large projects into mini projects that are deployable in 2-4 weeks and are worked on by a team of competent workers
Review progress made and challenges faced every 2-4 weeks with team members and communicate same to stakeholders
Design projects that are amenable to linear and iterative approaches
As an MTD project manager, I will recommend the linear and iterative approach for some reasons which include there effectiveness in:
1) Time management: In event management and life in general, time management is key to the success of anything. the linear approach guarantees effective time management. It ensures that tasks are delivered as at when due. Also dependencies between tasks are identified and addressed at the appropriate time.
2) Customer’s satisfaction: It provides management with the ability to get feedbacks from clients during the sprints .
As a project manager working with MTD, I will suggest a combination of both the iterative and the agile method in planning. This is because of the obvious fact that at some point in the planning, there is need for a one after the other approach while at some point, some aspects of the work can go on concurrently. So, while the used water is undergoing purification for a reuse, another batch of clean water is being transported to homes, offices and everyone and therefore, there will not be water scarcity.
I mean that I would suggest both the linear and iterative method.
As the project manager in MTD I will use both linear and iterative approach so that there will be an increased accountability, visibility, transparency and improved stakeholders engagement.
Applying this both method will help me provide assurance to sponsors and stalk holders.
implications of adopting an agile approach helps to get feedback each time to make sure we are organizing the right solution to the right people and haven’t gone off from the right direction. Risk can be easily identified in agile and actions can be taken as early as possible which makes it cheaper and less risky.
As a PM there is need to be proactive in responding to any challenges. Every project and the environment has its own volatilities and uncertainties. As a result of this there is need to collaborate with other professionals PM as we learn from each other in addressing the current challenge
Working as a PM in MTD I would consider combining linear and iteratative approach considering the advantages which include
* Testing ideas and learning about user’s requirements.
* Accelerating delivery of project outputs
* Better in stakeholders engagement
* Increases accountability.