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, one key lesson from the linear approach is the importance of clear upfront planning, defined scope, budgets, and timelines. This is especially useful for fixed elements of events such as dates, venues, contracts, and regulatory requirements, where control and predictability are critical. From the iterative approach, I have learnt the value of flexibility, learning from feedback, and improving plans in stages. For MTD, this means developing event concepts, programmes, and marketing activities in cycles, reviewing them with stakeholders, and refining them based on changing needs and circumstances. Using an iterative approach to set up an event would allow early testing of ideas, regular stakeholder input, and the ability to adapt to changes in speakers, audience expectations, or external conditions. However, it would also require strong coordination to avoid scope creep and cost overruns. An agile approach would further support rapid decision-making, close collaboration between teams, and continuous improvement, but would require empowered teams and frequent communication. My advice to MTD would be to adopt a hybrid approach: use linear methods for fixed, high-control areas (budget, contracts, schedule) and iterative or agile practices for areas that benefit from flexibility (programme design, marketing, and attendee experience).
As the project manager of MTD, I would look into the environment of the project, is it a stable environment where Linear project approach can be used successfully or an unstable environment where iterative approach is the best method or if it is a combination of the both.
Knowing fully well that MTD is an event company with customers who may like to make last minute changes, I would break my deployment stage into Sprints where I can work on different interations to suit what the client would want to have at a particular time. This would help me get feedback on Sprints that have not been completed and if need be, apply changes to some part of the project
I will also take into account the VU of the VUCA and ensure that when the project becomes volatile, I act fast in other to meet up with the changes and when it is uncertain, I ask for more information either from the Project owner or my team or seek for professional or expert analysis to be able to complete the project successfully so as not to increase my project budget or deliver the project at an overdue time
Implications of using iterative approach include:
1. The scope creep: the project can easily go over budget due to constant changes
2. There is constant refining of the event plan through cycles of feedback reducing risk of missing the mark.
Implications of using agile approach include:
1. If a sponsor changes requirements, the team can pivot without collapsing the entire plan
2. This approach must be managed with extreme discipline so as not to launch a partially finished event
As a project Manager, My advice would be to recommend a hybrid framework which involves:
1. Fixed milestones(waterfall): for scheduling deadlines like venue bookings, permits and invitation
2. Flexible workflow (agile): using sprints for elements like marketing, stage design, etc.
3. Visual management: use kanban boards to track progress across different departments
4. Continuous improvement: turn mistakes into standardized processes for the next project
As a project manager working with MTD, one key insight I gained this week is that event projects are highly dynamic, and a strictly linear project lifecycle can create challenges when changes occur late in the process. Many of MTD’s difficulties, such as last-minute client changes, vendor issues, and tight timelines, could be better managed with a more flexible approach.
Using an iterative approach in event planning would allow MTD to break the project into stages, gather feedback early, and make improvements before the event day, reducing major risks. An agile approach would further enhance collaboration and responsiveness, enabling the team to adapt quickly to changing client needs.
I would recommend a hybrid approach, combining linear planning for fixed elements (such as dates and venues) with iterative or agile methods for flexible aspects like event design and guest experience. This balance would help MTD deliver more successful and client-focused events.
As a project manager at MTD, I would adopt the hybrid system. This would reduce risks and generate feedbacks to make sure we’re building in the right solution.
An iterative approach minimizes risk through refinement, while Agile maximizes responsiveness to change. For event management, I advise a Hybrid Strategy: leverage Agile’s flexibility for creative planning and marketing, but maintain structured, milestone-based execution for fixed-date logistics. This balances adaptability with the rigid “hard deadline” of the event day to ensure both innovation and operational reliability.
As a PM using the iterative method , it would allow the project team to deliver outputs regularly and frequently , instead of doing all at once at the end of the project . This is important when changes become often as a result of the feedbacks gotten from both clients and sponsors . The Agile approach supports frequent stakeholder engagements , teamwork and flexibility . Thereby allowing MTD respond quickly to any immediate changes and still working in line with the project expectations.
My advice to MTD is to adopt the mixed/hybrid project life cycle , because it allows for flexibility , structured planning for both budgeting , safety and compliance .
My take home from this lesson is that as a PM , rather than relying on just one project lifecycle , it would be advised to be ready to use both the linear and iterative / hybrid approach simultaneously , so as to effectively deliver a project.
1. Implications of Taking an Iterative Approach to Setting Up an Event as a Project
Using an iterative approach means planning and delivering the event in small, repeated cycles instead of trying to finalize everything at once.
From my point of view as a project manager, the implications would include:
Better flexibility: The event can be improved step by step as new ideas come in. If something does not work in one phase, it can be corrected in the next.
Continuous learning: Each stage of preparation gives feedback that can be used to adjust the next stage.
Reduced risk: Problems are discovered early rather than on the actual event day.
More involvement of stakeholders: Sponsors, participants, and team members can give input throughout the process.
However, there are also challenges:
It may take more time to keep reviewing and adjusting plans.
Budget control can be harder because changes may increase costs.
Without strong coordination, the project can lose clear direction.
Overall, an iterative approach would make the event planning process more adaptable and realistic, especially when requirements are not fully clear at the beginning.
2. Implications of an Agile Approach
An agile approach focuses on quick responses to change, teamwork, and delivering value in small portions.
If an event project is managed using agile, the implications would be:
Positive Implications
The planning team can respond quickly to new demands or last-minute changes.
Tasks can be divided into small deliverables such as venue setup, publicity, registration, etc.
Regular meetings and reviews keep everyone aligned.
Stakeholders remain engaged because progress is visible.
Possible Negative Implications
Too many changes can create confusion if not properly controlled.
Documentation may be less detailed compared to traditional methods.
Team members must be highly committed and available for frequent collaboration.
In my view, agile works well for events because event planning often faces uncertainty, changing guest lists, and shifting requirements.
3. My Advice to the Company
If I were asked to advise the company, my recommendation would be:
Use a hybrid approach that combines structure with flexibility.
Apply an agile mindset for areas like publicity, guest management, and logistics where changes happen often.
Keep a basic traditional project framework for budget, contracts, and timelines to maintain control.
Specifically, I would advise the company to:
Break the event into small phases such as planning, promotion, execution, and evaluation.
Hold regular review meetings to assess progress.
Involve key stakeholders continuously.
Allow room for adjustments without losing sight of the main goal.
Maintain clear documentation for finance and approvals while keeping operations flexible.
Final Thought
In my opinion, planning an event is naturally dynamic. Therefore, an iterative and agile approach fits better than a rigid, one-time plan. The key is to balance flexibility with proper coordination so that the event remains organized, within budget, and successful.
Using an iterative approach allows MTD to set up water services on construction sites in stages, review performance, and make improvements as site conditions change. An agile approach further enables MTD to respond quickly to unexpected changes and critical moments through flexibility and close collaboration with site managers. However, frequent changes may increase cost and coordination challenges. MTD is therefore advised to adopt a hybrid iterative–agile approach to manage changes efficiently while controlling cost and maintaining service quality.
As a project manager working with MTD, using an iterative approach to event setup would allow the team to plan, review, and improve the project in stages. This is valuable in events where requirements often change due to client feedback, logistics, or regulatory issues. Iteration helps identify risks early and improves decision-making, but it can also increase costs and cause delays if changes are not controlled.
An agile approach would further support flexibility, teamwork, and frequent stakeholder engagement. It allows MTD to respond quickly to last-minute changes and keep the event aligned with client expectations. However, agile can be challenging in event projects with fixed budgets, deadlines, and suppliers who may not adapt easily.
My advice to MTD would be to adopt a hybrid approach—using structured planning for budgets, safety, and compliance, while applying agile and iterative practices to logistics, vendor coordination, and client communication.
From this, I learn that effective project management in events requires adaptability, strong communication, and continuous learning, rather than relying on a single rigid methodology.