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 of MTD, I would have the use of both Linear and iterative depending their individual environment, linear project works in a stable environment that allows large capital investment, a linear project cannot change course easily because its offers predictability in cost, scope and timeline while ITERATIVE project can be done perfectly in an unstable environment because they are done all once in a short period of time…..iterative project start with an idea or vision
As a project manager with MTD, I see that the main challenges in their projects are dealing with uncertainty, last-minute changes, and meeting different client needs. From this week’s learning, one useful idea is that no single approach fits all situations. Instead, using the right method for the context makes project delivery smoother and more successful.
If MTD uses an iterative approach, it means events can be planned in stages, with reviews at each step. This would help the company test ideas early, adjust quickly if something is not working, and reduce big risks. For example, client feedback on early event plans could be used to refine later stages before everything is finalized.
An agile approach would make MTD even more flexible. Teams could work in short cycles, focusing on delivering small but valuable outcomes fast. This helps when clients change their minds or when unexpected issues happen, such as venue problems or last-minute cancellations. However, agile also requires strong communication and close collaboration to avoid confusion.
If I were to advise the company, I would suggest a hybrid approach, combining both traditional structure and agile flexibility. Clear planning at the start would give MTD stability, while iterative and agile practices would help them adapt when things change. This balance would allow the company to deliver high-quality events on time and still keep clients happy.
As a project Manager for mtd.. I could advice for the company to work on
– Adaptive team schedules to promote good use of the iterative approach to work on the ongoing project
– Time management and feedback loops on the current courses in play should be made effective
– at every stage .. agility is priority and importantly, Need to be ready for uncertain changes must be kept in mind throughout the project
– as we work on the customers feedback, it should be effected into the project in interactions.
Agile project management would encourage MTD to:
– Work in focused, short sprints targeting specific tasks (e.g securing speakers or finalizing catering).
– Hold regular check-ins with all team members and vendors to maintain transparency.
– Prioritize tasks dynamically, so the most critical aspects receive attention first.
– Deliver value incrementally, such as confirming key elements early to kick off marketing activities.
This approach fosters responsiveness and collaboration, which are vital in the fast-paced events industry.
My Recommendation to MTD
I would recommend a hybrid project management model that combines the strengths of both traditional and agile approaches. Maintain structured planning to ensure compliance, budgeting, and timeline clarity, but overlay it with iterative cycles and agile practices like frequent feedback loops and adaptive scheduling. This balance will provide MTD with the discipline needed for complex event logistics while giving them the flexibility to respond effectively to change.
By adopting this hybrid strategy, MTD can expect smoother event execution, higher client satisfaction, and improved resilience against the uncertainties typical in the events sector
If I were the project manager working with MTD, the events company I would first reflect on the common challenges they face: strict deadlines, multiple stakeholders with changing requirements, budget limitations, vendor dependencies, and the risk of last-minute disruptions.
From what I have learned this week, a key lesson is the importance of agile and iterative project management in handling uncertainty. Rather than trying to plan the entire event from start to finish in one go, an iterative approach allows the team to break down the event project into smaller, manageable phases (e.g., venue selection, program design, logistics, marketing, and post-event evaluation).
Implications of an Iterative Approach
1. Flexibility and Adaptability– The team can respond to client or stakeholder feedback during the planning stage instead of discovering issues on the event day. For example, if a client changes the theme, adjustments can be made in early iterations without derailing the whole project.
2. Reduced Risk – By testing and reviewing progress step by step (e.g., piloting a registration system before scaling it), MTD minimizes the chance of major last-minute failures.
3. Continuous Improvement – Each iteration provides learning opportunities. For instance, after trial runs of lighting or sound, feedback can be integrated to refine the final setup.
4. Improved Stakeholder Engagement– Stakeholders can be involved at each stage of planning, leading to higher satisfaction because they see tangible progress and can influence outcomes.
5. Time and Cost Efficiency – Instead of discovering expensive mistakes late in the process, issues are identified earlier, saving resources.
Implications of an Agile Approach
Agile emphasizes collaboration, transparency, and responsiveness to change. In event management, adopting agile practices means:
Running short planning “sprints” to tackle specific tasks.
Holding regular check-ins (stand-up meetings) with the team and vendors to track progress.
Maintaining a prioritized backlog of tasks (e.g., catering, guest invitations, venue contracts) so the most critical needs are addressed first.
Delivering incremental value (e.g., confirming venue and headline speakers early to build marketing campaigns).
My Advice to MTD
I would advise MTD to adopt a hybrid project management style: keep the structured planning needed for events (timelines, budgets, compliance), but integrate agile principles such as iterative development, regular feedback loops, and adaptive planning. This would give them the best of both worlds discipline in execution and flexibility in responding to unexpected changes.
Ultimately, this approach will help MTD deliver smoother events, increase client satisfaction, and build resilience against risks that are common in the events industr
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The linear approach (Waterfall) follows a step-by-step process where each stage must be completed before moving to the next. It is best for projects with clear, stable requirements because it offers predictability in cost, scope, and timelines. However, it is rigid, difficult to change once started, and risks delivering a final product that may not fully meet evolving client needs.
The iterative approach (Agile/incremental) delivers in small cycles, allowing flexibility, early value delivery, and continuous stakeholder feedback. It works well in dynamic environments where requirements may change. The downside is scope creep, less predictable budgets and timelines, and a higher need for ongoing stakeholder involvement.
For project managers, the choice depends on project type and environment:
Linear is best for stable, clearly defined projects.
Iterative is best for uncertain or fast-changing projects.
A hybrid model can balance both, using linear for planning and iterative for execution.
Iterative development allows for breaking the project into manageable stages, with regular reviews and adjustments.
Agile principles prioritize collaboration, flexibility, and client satisfaction which align well with the unpredictability of live events.
Implications of taking an iterative approach to setting up an event means the project would be broken into phases; more flexibility to adjust plans based on client feedback at each stage; reduce risk by detecting issues earlier; improve quality and creativity, as each stage builds on the previous one.
If I were to advise MTD, I would recommend the following:
Adopt a hybrid approach: Combine traditional event planning with Agile principles for the planning process and stakeholder engagement.
Use iterative planning: Break down event setup into clear, time-bound stages with opportunities for feedback and improvement at each phase.
Introduce Agile ritual – weekly stand-ups with internal teams; sprint planning and reviews with clients for milestone check-ins.
As a project manager of MTD I would make sure stakeholders are familiar with the VUCA framework such that they would be very quick to adapt to changes going on in the environment to continuously make our services user friendly. And also we all should be conversant with the art of risk relegation to foster desired outputs during project delivery.
–The implications will be that we would imbibe the scrum framework for the two to four weeks sprint of modeling the interface to suite the future uses. Since we are setting up an event, the mini reviews we would be getting for now will be among the stakeholders and project teams. Also meetings will be held periodically amongst stakeholders to come up with a well structured interface that will be feasible for all users during the event.
An advice am going to give the company is that of risk relegation, the risks involved in the project has to be well managed and reduced by breaking work into smaller iterations rather than doing everything at a go.
As a project manager of MTD I would make sure stakeholders are familiar with the VUCA framework such that they would be very quick to adapt to changes going on in the environment to continuously make our services user friendly.
–The implications will be that we would imbibe the scrum framework for the two to four weeks sprint of modeling the interface to suite the future uses. Since we are setting up an event, the mini reviews we would be getting for now will be among the stakeholders and project teams. Also meetings will be held periodically amongst stakeholders to come up with a well structured interface that will be feasible for all users during the event.
An advice am going to give the company is that of risk relegation, the risks involved in the project has to be well managed and reduced by breaking work into smaller iterations rather than doing everything at a go.