I am frequently amazed at the answers I get in workshops in response to the question: “please explain to me briefly how Agile Project Management works”. Many answers emphasise “flexibility to do what the client wants” and “requirements can change” and other attractive features but are unable to explain how or why this is so.

This is not surprising as the formulation of predictive project management (Schedule networks, Gantt charts etc) predated Agile by roughly three decades. This means that many senior professionals have never looked closely at what Agile Project Management is and rely on hearsay.

This free limited-participation workshop, on 10 July, addresses this issue. As there are only a couple of places left at the time of writing, register here now to get your zoom link for access. Please also forward this event link to your colleagues to make them aware of this opportunity.

When starting a new project, one of the most critical early decisions is choosing how the work will be structured and managed. Should you follow Agile, Scrum, a traditional Predictive (Waterfall) approach, or a Hybrid method that blends both? This choice is not just about preferences – it has a fundamental effect on the likelihood of project success and impacts the communication patterns, accountability structures and team dynamics.

Match the Methodology to your Project

If a project team dives into delivery without a clear, organization-wide agreement on methodology, there will be problems leading to confusion about expectations, roles and responsibilities. For instance, Agile Project Management encourages iteration and collaboration with the client, while Predictive Project Management emphasizes detailed planning and linear progression. If the rest of the organization operates differently than the project team, misalignment and friction are almost guaranteed.

To avoid this, it is crucial that the chosen project methodology is not just a team-level decision. It needs buy-in and understanding from leadership, stakeholders and supporting departments. Clear alignment ensures that everyone—executives, delivery teams, and support functions—understands their role in the process and can work together efficiently toward common goals.

In our upcoming free workshop, Project Challenge 2: Organizing Your Project, the key features and the pros and cons of Agile vs. Predictive approaches will be explained, to provide guidance on selecting and implementing the right one for your context. Whether you are launching a new initiative or refining an existing process, this session will help you make a good decision on methodology and increase the chances of project success.