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.
Taking an iterative approach to setting up an event as a project and adopting an agile approach can both have significant implications for the event’s success and overall project management. Let’s examine each approach and its implications:
1. Iterative Approach:
The iterative approach involves breaking down the project into smaller, manageable phases or iterations. Each iteration focuses on completing specific tasks or goals and allows for adjustments and improvements based on feedback from each phase. Here are the implications of this approach for setting up an event:
a. Flexibility: An iterative approach allows for flexibility in adapting to changes and incorporating new requirements throughout the project.
b. Continuous Improvement: Each iteration provides an opportunity to learn from previous phases, leading to continuous improvement in event planning and execution.
c. Feedback-Driven: Regular feedback from stakeholders and participants can be incorporated into subsequent iterations, making the event more aligned with the expectations of all involved.
d. Reduced Risk: By addressing potential issues early on and making adjustments, the risk of major problems during the event itself is minimized.
e. Resource Allocation: Resources can be allocated more efficiently as the focus is on completing one phase at a time, allowing better resource planning.
2. Agile Approach:
Agile is a specific type of iterative approach that emphasizes collaboration, adaptability, and customer-centricity. It involves breaking down the project into short development cycles known as “sprints.” The implications of adopting an agile approach for event planning are as follows:
a. Cross-Functional Teams: An agile approach encourages cross-functional collaboration, allowing experts from different areas to work together effectively, such as event planners, marketers, and designers.
b. Customer-Centric: Agile focuses on delivering value to the customer (in this case, event attendees) by incorporating their feedback and priorities throughout the process.
c. Quick Responses to Change: Agile methodologies allow for rapid adjustments to changing circumstances, ensuring the event remains relevant and successful.
d. Continuous Delivery: Incremental progress in each sprint enables the team to deliver usable components of the event early and often, instead of waiting until the entire project is complete.
e. Transparency: Agile practices often promote transparency, enabling stakeholders to have clear visibility into the project’s progress.
If asked to advise the company on event planning, I would recommend adopting an agile approach to setting up the event. The agile methodology’s emphasis on customer-centricity, continuous improvement, and quick adaptability aligns well with the dynamic nature of event planning. By breaking down the event project into smaller sprints and involving cross-functional teams, the company can deliver a more successful and impactful event.
However, it’s essential to consider the company’s existing culture, resources, and stakeholders’ familiarity with agile principles before fully committing to this approach. Agile may require a mindset shift and appropriate training for the team to implement it effectively. An iterative approach can also be considered if the company is not yet ready for a full-fledged agile transformation, as it still provides many benefits over traditional linear project management methods. Ultimately, the choice between the two approaches should be based on the specific needs and context of the company and the event being planned.
An event can be envisage as a project since it’s temporal and produces unique results.
The iterative approach can be applicable since it’s highly unpredictable in terms of attendee behaviour, weather on the day of event, changes or failure deliveries etc.
The iterative approach will help MTD constantly revise its projects and provide viable solutions during the project implementation. Customer feedback will also impact the project and improve business relations.
Communication, flexibility and risk evaluation are key factors to be considered.
Therefore, constant elaboration and reviews leads to results.
Furthermore, it can be done is sprints. The decorations, cooking, request for supplies, sending invitation, venue arrangement are the smaller sprints that can run independently and reviews can be effected before the day of event.
As a project manager collaborating with MTD, I have gained several insights this week that could offer assistance in addressing the difficulties and problems encountered in their projects. Below are some bulletpoints:
*Clear Scope Definition
*Communication and Collaboration
*Risk management
*Resource Allocation
*Stakeholders Engagement
*Quality Assurance
In an iterative approach, the event planning and organizing process would be broken down into smaller, manageable iterations or phases. Each iteration would involve planning, execution, and evaluation of a specific aspect of the event, and the insights gained from each iteration would inform the subsequent ones.
Consequences of an iterative approach for event organization would be:
Flexibility
Incremental Progress
Continuous Improvement
Increased Collaboration
Risk Mitigation
Implications of Adopting an Agile Approach:
Customer-Centric
Regular Deliverables
Adaptive Planning
Embracing Change
Empowered Teams
Iterative Refinement
The success of an approach, be it iterative or agile, relies on effective project management, clear communication, and collaboration among all stakeholders involved in the event organization process.
If a company sought my advice was on which approach to adopt for organizing an event, I would recommend taking an Agile approach. The reason is that the agile methodology aligns well with dynamic event planning, where the needs and preferences of attendees might evolve over time. By embracing an agile approach, the company can be more responsive to attendee feedback, incorporate changes more effectively, and deliver a customer-centric event
As a Project Manager working for MTD, these are what I had learnt that could be of help for the project
1. Effective communication and time concious
2. Collaboration
3. Scope and strategies defined
4. Planning
5. Risk management
Iterative is unpredictable and also the scope is not define at the beginning so it will be difficult to embark on it , I will advice the company to go for Agile instead, it’s give rooms for you to know how the project is progressing and easily identify any risk on it
Not all projects are the same, while some may adopt the Linear approach from the beginning to the end, some may require a mixture of both the Linear and Iterative life cycles. Therefore the first thing to do is to study the project in order to know the best approach to use. then implement the use of VUCA framework and hybrid approach to develop suitable responses for the challenges of the project.
As a PM of MTD, I will first study the goal of the project because this will inform my decision on the best approach .After which I will be flexible and adaptable to employ Vuca framework tool as well as the hybrid approach in other to reduce any challenges or project risk that may occur.
Umoren Gift Jimmy
Cohort 8
Team 10
As the Project Manager of MTD Company, I will study the Project purpose and come up with the suitable approach that will benefit the company to achieve its aims and objective. I will analyze the project with all the available procedure either Linear, Iterative or Agile so as to guide against any unforeseen change or review with the plan and come up with the suitable one to achieve the purpose of the project.
As a PM of MTD, I will first study the goal of the project because this will inform my decision on the best approach to employ.
After which I will employ Vuca framework as well as the hybrid approach in other to reduce any project risk that may occur.
Umoren Gift Jimmy
Cohort 8
Team 10
As a PM with MTD first I will evaluate the purpose/goal of the project because this will help me come up with a suitable approach to employ.
I will have to communicate with my team to know the best approach to take from linear and iterative or agile making plans for unforseen changes that will come up as the project progress making room for vuca framework and the hybrid approach in case of any project risk that may occur.
As a PM, I will consider adopting both the linear and iterative for better outcomes. Both can be used in combination or in isolation depending on what is needed per time.
Temitope Ayodele
The good use of VUCA, that’s a very good thing to know as a PM. Also, DISCOVERY..
PM of MTD, I will first study the goal of the project because this will inform my decision on the best approach to employ.
After which I will employ Vuca framework as well as the hybrid approach in other to reduce any project risk that may occur.
I’ve discovered that MTD, an events company, can profit from employing a flexible and adaptive strategy in their projects. They can improve their event settings and adapt to changing requirements by dividing them up into brief cycles and collecting feedback. They will be better prepared to deal with unforeseen circumstances if they embrace agile concepts that enable quick responses to changes. Iterative and agile methodologies should be combined, in my opinion, to help MTD deliver excellent events that live up to client expectations while proactively managing issues.