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.
As a project manager working with MTD, I have learned a few key insights this week that could help address the challenges and issues the company faces in their projects. Here are a few considerations:
Clear Communication Channels: It’s essential to establish clear communication channels with all stakeholders involved in the event project, including clients, suppliers, and the event team. Regular communication helps ensure everyone is aligned, avoids misunderstandings, and allows for timely issue resolution.
Detailed Scope Definition: Clearly defining the scope of the event project is crucial. This includes understanding the client’s requirements, objectives, and expectations, as well as identifying any constraints or limitations. A well-defined scope helps manage project expectations and facilitates efficient resource allocation.
Risk Management: Identifying and managing risks is vital in event projects. Conducting a thorough risk assessment early on enables proactive risk mitigation strategies. It’s crucial to have contingency plans in place to address potential disruptions or unforeseen circumstances during the event.
Taking an iterative approach to setting up an event as a project can have several implications:
Flexibility and Adaptability: An iterative approach allows for continuous refinement and adjustment throughout the project lifecycle. It enables the project team to adapt to changing requirements, incorporate client feedback, and make improvements based on lessons learned from previous iterations.
Improved Stakeholder Collaboration: Iterative processes often involve frequent stakeholder engagement and feedback loops. This approach fosters collaboration and involvement, ensuring that the event project aligns with stakeholder expectations.
On the other hand, an agile approach to event project management can bring additional benefits:
Incremental Value Delivery: Agile methodologies emphasize delivering value in small, incremental increments. This approach allows the event team to prioritize and deliver high-value features or components of the event project early, which can be particularly beneficial if there are time constraints or evolving client needs.
Continuous Improvement: Agile frameworks promote continuous improvement by regularly reflecting on the project’s progress and seeking ways to enhance processes, team dynamics, and event outcomes. This iterative feedback loop can drive innovation and ensure constant learning and growth within the organization.
If asked to advise MTD on their project management approach, I would suggest the following:
Embrace an Agile Mindset: Encourage the adoption of agile principles and values within the organization. This includes fostering a culture of flexibility, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Agile methodologies such as Scrum can be considered to structure event project management processes.
Tailor the Approach: Assess the unique characteristics of each event project and tailor the project management approach accordingly. Some projects may benefit from a more iterative and adaptive approach, while others may require a more traditional project management methodology. Flexibility in selecting the right approach is key.
Invest in Project Management Skills: Ensure that the project management team is equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively manage events. This may involve providing training or hiring experienced project managers with expertise in event management.
Leverage Technology: Explore the use of project management tools and software to enhance collaboration, streamline processes, and track progress. Digital tools can help manage tasks, timelines, budgets, and facilitate communication among team members.
By adopting an agile mindset, tailoring the approach to each event project, investing in project management skills, and leveraging technology, MTD can improve their project management practices and overcome the challenges they face in delivering successful events.
As a project manager assigned to the MTD project, implementing the agile approach while working with the linear is necessary.
Although plans have been made and tasks in progress, I still have to make room for uncertainties which may likely occur
1. There may be struggles with time constraints and resource allocation. For time constraints, if the needs of the event organizer are changing constantly, such as new demands coming up for where water should be delivered to, iterative project management will help with the volatility. For resource management, linear project management will do the trick for a simple allocation system, but in a situation where maximizing of resources is necessary, i.e, resources being moved from locations of less utility to locations of greater utility, the agile project management system will be necessary to constantly reorganize things.
2. In a situation where the exact amount of event participants is unknown, the agile iterative system will be necessary to ensure that the uncertain nature of such a demand will be met
A project team is a group of people who work together to achieve a common goal. This team is typically formed to complete a specific project within a set timeframe. A project team differs from other teams in that it is usually temporary, with a specific goal and deadline. Other teams in an organization, such as a department or functional team, are more permanent and have ongoing responsibilities.
As a Project Manager, I would advise MTD to use both methods wherever possible, depending on the environment.
As a project manager, I will implement the use of VUCA framework tools to develop suitable responses for the issues and challenges of the event project.
An iterative approach in setting an event includes
– The event project risk would be reduced, changes would be easily implemented
-Adaptability, collaboration and efficiency in work and communication would be enhanced.
Agile approach to the challenges will aid in controlling over budget arising from the changes in requirement to stall the challenges and increase service quality.
As a project manager assigned to the MTD project, implementing the agile approach while working with the linear is necessary.
Although plans have been made and tasks in progress, I still have to make room for uncertainties which may likely occur.
For example:
In the process of transferring the water from one point to another, there are situations that may come up such as:
Bursting of the bufferbag
Breaking or leakage of pipes
Impurities noticed in the water
Issues with the tanker truck/drivers etc
Iterative approach gives room for flexibility and quick adaptation to change. It enables the project manager know when to use an alternative or stop a particular plan and make a quick switch to another and maintain progress.
As a PM working with MTD, the iterative Approach is a good one, seeing that the client’s environment can be characterized with uncertainties, ranging from failed facilities to unspeculated amount of guest turnout. This could go a long way to affect the budget or cost of setting up water facility on site or need for more outlet for water distribution
Augustina Emuobo Abolodje
AS a project Manager collaborating with MTD Event company using an Iterative or agile approach in organizing an event has a lot of advantages like it enables the team to deliver the output regularly and frequently rather than all at once at the end of the project. It also provides benefit from users and stakeholders feedback and get early return on investment while retaining the ability to adapt and change course as the business environment changes. It also has its limitations, it does not begin with detailed specification project plans and schedules like the Linear Approach.
As a project Manager I will advice the company to use the hybrid approach which is the combination of both the Linear and Agile approach in order to create flexible and adaptable project lifecycles that is suitable for the project.
MTD event challenges and issues.
Being a project manager, I would make use of VUCA framework to develop a better way of response for the challenges of the event.
For me making use of iterative approach in putting up an event as project manager
What i see as an implications in this pattern
1) the project risk will be managed,
2) changes can easily be carried out
Agile for me helps more in having control in matters like over budget arising from the changes that may set in within the period of time.
I will be flexible in approached situation and possible challenges. No two project are the same.
I have learned that linear and interactive methods can be combined.
So in the case of the water project, since linear method was used to start the project, interactive method will help to bring it to a successful end.
As a PM, I will use infuse the VUCA framework into the project.
Possible Challenges:
1. Burst water transmission pipelines. Here, quick response is needed. The situation is not ambiguous. You know the solution. Direct fixing
2. Legal challenges or general disagreement with environmental activism organisations, community people or even government about the consequences of their operations
3. There may be struggles with time constraints and resource allocation. For time constraints, if the needs of the event organizer are changing constantly, such as new demands coming up for where water should be delivered to, iterative project management will help with the volatility. For resource management, linear project management will do the trick for a simple allocation system, but in a situation where maximizing of resources is necessary, i.e, resources being moved from locations of less utility to locations of greater utility, the agile project management system will be necessary to constantly reorganize things.
4. In a situation where the exact amount of event participants is unknown, the agile iterative system will be necessary to ensure that the uncertain nature of such a demand will be met