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.
Implications of an Iterative approach:
i. Event planning is done in stages
ii. Allow early testing of ideas
iii. Reduce risk by identifying issues early
Implications of Agile Approach
i. High flexibility to adapt to client feedback, sponsor needs, or last minutes changes
ii. Strong collaboration among teams
iii. Faster decision making and improved stakeholders satisfaction.
My Advice:
i. Use a hybrid agile-Iterative approach
ii. Lock down critical components early while keeping design and programming flexible
iii. Hold short review meetings and rehearsals to ensure alignment and readiness.
Iterative planning would enable continuous client feedback and reduce misunderstandings, but frequent revisions could delay decisions. Agile methods would improve collaboration and transparency across teams, though strong governance would be required.
I would advise adopting agile communication practices while maintaining clear approval processes.
It’s important to know that elements of both linear and iterative methods can be combined to optimize delivery and efficiency on project deliverables. In an event however, or prior to it (which would require a linear approach), setting up a dedicated team with meet-up times at every quartile of the events duration to check-up and see where improvements can be made would enhance the success of the event, even if it’s by a margin.
Hi my name is Ngozi and I think events are dynamic by nature. A rigid one-time planning approach does not fully support MTD’s reality. By blending iterative planning with proper execution, MTD can reduce risks, improve client satisfaction, and deliver successful events more consistently.
Agile methodologies are built around high flexibility and adaptability, which can sometimes conflict with the fixed timelines and rigid dependencies typical of events.
Unlike software products, events cannot be deployed in multiple versions—there is only one final delivery, and failure at that point carries significant risk.
Based on the challenges projected within the events, I will as a project manager make use of both an iterative and linear approaches for the project. Though agile approach renders a collaborative, responsive and constant measurable improvement because of it’s flexibility I wouldn’t use it because it’s very risky and very unpredictable in the long run.
As a PM, I will make planning continuous, prioritize projects at level of importance and work on feedback given from my clients to achieve the project goals.
My recommendations will be that the company combines the both the linear and iterative approach to achieve success of projects as flexibility, collaboration, time management, etc are expected in the project, the hybrid methods will help to create a balance.
Thank you.
As a project manager, adopting an iterative approach on this project would have the following implications:
Planning becomes a continuous activity, since uncertainties and changes are likely to emerge as the project progresses.
Incremental deliverables—moving from concept → mock-ups → rehearsals → final execution—would be developed progressively and reviewed with stakeholders at each stage, allowing for early feedback and alignment.
However, there are notable complications associated with applying an agile approach to event management:
Agile methodologies are built around high flexibility and adaptability, which can sometimes conflict with the fixed timelines and rigid dependencies typical of events.
Unlike software products, events cannot be deployed in multiple versions—there is only one final delivery, and failure at that point carries significant risk.
My advice:
As the project manager working with MTD, I recommend that the company does not adopt a purely agile approach for managing events. Although agile promotes collaboration, responsiveness, and continuous improvement, the time-bound, one-off, and high-stakes nature of events makes a fully agile methodology unsuitable. Instead, a hybrid approach that combines structured upfront planning with limited iterative reviews would better balance control and flexibility.
There is this statement I got from the lessons: without any reliable precedents, prediction becomes quesswork.
As a project manager,
Implications of taking iterative approach on this project will be:
1. Planning becomes ongoing status becauseof uncertainties that might arise.
2. Progressive version of the following ; (concept → mock-ups → rehearsal → final execution) are shared with the stakeholders
Complications of an agile approach:
1. Agile thrives on flexibility
2. Unlike software, events cannot be released in versions.
My advise:
As the project manager working with MTD, my advice is that the company should not adopt a pure agile approach for managing events. While agile offers flexibility, collaboration, and responsiveness to change, the time-fixed and high-risk nature of events makes a fully agile method impractical.