DDM's Agile Methodology Implementation for Hybrid Conference

This report analyzes the application of agile project management methodologies for the Digital Delivery Magazine (DDM) in delivering a hybrid International Management Conference. It contrasts agile with traditional linear methods, highlighting the benefits of agile in terms of flexibility, transparency, and responsiveness to change. The report emphasizes key aspects such as time management, risk management, and stakeholder management within the agile framework, showcasing how these elements contribute to the successful execution of hybrid events. By adopting agile, DDM can improve team collaboration, reduce risks, and enhance client satisfaction, aligning with evolving industry trends. The report also outlines a practical six-step agile implementation process and discusses strategies for effective time and risk management in the context of hybrid conference events. The document is available on Desklib, a platform offering a wide array of study tools and resources for students.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Digital Delivery Magazine approved a business contract to deliver the International
Management Conference, which will see them raise their profile and increase the marketing and
revenue. The conference is intended to be delivered in two forms simultaneously, partly face-to-
face and partly virtual. The new trend is a result of Covid 19 impendence to hold face-to-face
conferences; as a result, virtual meetings and conferences have become the norm of businesses.
In this project, the DDM has been presented with the best opportunity to showcase its
capabilities of delivering a hybrid Digital Management Conference and standing out uniquely in
the industry. Revisit the guidance; what is the purpose of the report? What will it show? Main
purpose of this report is to understand the project management methodology such as waterfall db
agile project management methodology and benefit of using the selected methodology in this
project management report.

Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...................................................................................................................2
1. Introduction...................................................................................................................................4
2. Main Section..................................................................................................................................5
2.1 Project management methodologies...................................................................................5
2.2 Time management...............................................................................................................8
2.3 Risk Management................................................................................................................9
2.4 Stakeholder Management.................................................................................................10
2.5 Change Management.........................................................................................................11
3. Conclusions.................................................................................................................................11
4. Recommendation.........................................................................................................................12
References...........................................................................................................................................13
Bibliography........................................................................................................................................14

1. Introduction
The emergence of the Covid 19 pandemic changed the traditional method for delivering
meetings and conferences to a virtual or remote method. The fading of the Covid 19
pandemichas facilitated the integration of both face-to-face meetings and remote meetings. A
balance between the onsite and online interactions, otherwise known as a hybrid approach, is the
future of meetings and, to a large extent, conferences. Therefore, the event managers musthave
sound knowledge in organizing such events involving the two approaches and find the balance
by exploring the following aspects of the future of meetings: moderation, technology, behavior,
security, and diplomacy.
When holding the hybrid events, the need to spend more resources organizing travel and
large conference spaces, but there is a need to spend much of the time and resources planning,
preparing, and practicing. The effort isto ensure that everything runs smoothly without any hitch
from the technical perspective and facilitation of the discussions and interactions. Having a
proper conference management plan helps chalk out a solid strategy for the long-term and short-
term goals. The methodology which will be discussed in this report for the hybrid event is the
agile methodology. This is because it has various advantages such as rapid product delivery and
higher client satisfaction. Hosting hybrid events can be challenging when compared to strictly
virtual or strictly live events and the usage of agile methodologycan provide more support in
attaining higher client satisfaction. The agile methodology is selected for discussion on the
conference project
In general, project managers handle a lot of unpredictability from the onset of the event to
its end, and that is why strategies like contingency planning and risk assessment are fundamental
in coping with such unforeseen instancesBackman (169 - 171). Following the sequential method

like the one used so far has a lot of challenges since each phase depends on the preceding one. At
times the client requirement may change in the course of the event, and as such, it might not be
easy to manage, and it might prompt a fresh start. It is essential to use a more flexible
methodology like that agile methodology to cope with unforeseen situations.
2. Main Section
2.1 Project management methodologies
Project management methodologies need to be selected on the basis of the main objective
of the project in order to attain the best results. Agile methodology stresses continuous
improvement of the event process and at the same time accepting changes. With the constantly
evolving requirements of the event, agile planning cab helps the event management team be
flexible with their plan and guarantee the success of their event even in situations of uncertainty.
The methodology finds its root in the software engineering industry. The agile manifesto has
twelve principles that stress being interactive, doing the process repeatedly to refine the process.
The methodology allows changes in the plan and embraces them if they benefit the user. This
feature of the agile methodology can positively affect the international management project as it
helps make changes to face sudden challenges when executing the hybrid event.
Currently, the methodology is used in other industries statin it benefits as improving team
collaboration, reduces risks and saves time. Compared to the Digital Delivery Magazine (DDM)
method used to plan and manage the Digital Management conference, agile can offer better
transparency, flexibility, and learning. This will have positive impact on the conference
management project as various aspects of the hybrid event will be more transparent to attendees
and improve flexibility in planning.

Better transparency is enabled through daily check-ins the methodology requires. In
addition to this the usage of agile methodology requires individual interactions over processes
and tools which will also enhance transparency as each internal and external party associated
with the conference management project will be able to manage and supervise activities The
agile teams are constantly in touch through frequent meetings and daily check-ins so that
everyone is kept posted on the event's happenings as of the milestone, what needs to be done,
and problems that have been solved. Everyone knows, and nobody missesout on the critical piece
of information. In contrast to the linear methodology employed by DDM, the agile methodology
also allows keeping the clients and other stakeholders of the event involved through routine
meetings.
The level of transparency witnessed in the agile methodology comes with many benefits
like minimizing redundancy, increasing efficiency at work, and increasing teamwork spirit. It
also can reduce communication errors as all stakeholders are aware of everything related to the
event. The daily stand-up meetings, sprint reviews and retrospective are part of the agile
methodology which support better communication in case of the conference event. The method
used in Digital Management Conference is prone to error as the stakeholders have no direct
access to the progress of the panning. Still, through the director of project management, who at
times report false information,better flexibility is guaranteed as lots of work is done in blocks at
the same time as opposed to the linear process used in the Digital Management Conference
event. The event management team can also be decisive and deliver the whole event in a
different direction in case the requirement of the client change.In addition to this it will also be
helpful in achieving better responsiveness as tackling changes is prioritized under agile
methodology over following rigid plan. What enables this is that multiple tasks are carried out in

tandem, reducing the planning time scale, and the elaborate changes can take lesser time than
usual. The chances of event failure are minimized by having the project in a series of sprints
consisting of tasks. Also, there will be more than enough time to identify and respond to
potential risks. In context of the conference project agile methodology will bring the ability to
face changes with higher responsiveness and manage risks as they arise during the execution of
the project.
DDM should adopt the agile methodology to help it raise its profile and increase its
marketing. The said methodology will make the management team adapt to the changing
industry trends. The agile planners do not just accept change but also anticipate it, especially if
the change has benefits to the attendees. Therefore, if DDM incorporates the agile methodology
in its management strategy, it will keep pace with the latest developments in the industry,
whether tech-related or otherwise. Agile methodology is able to support de-risking in case of the
hybrid conference event. This is an important strength of agile methodology which will help the
hybrid project look after the expectations and requirements of both virtual and live guests so that
the project objectives are achieved.
Agile event management presses hard on getting things done on time when there is need,
even if it means no perfection of it as such, there is always room for more learning and
improvements. Unlike the linear method, the agile method stresses feedback, self-assessment,
and reiterations, so the cycle never ends. According to a study by PWC (2-3), the likelihood of
agile projects succeeding is twenty-eight percent compared to the traditional methods of project
management. This is also possible because of high client involvement during the development of
projects specifically with unsure and uncertain projects such as the conference management
project which is also affected by uncertainty of COVID-19.

The agile approach consists of six steps that can be very successful when implementing
the event. The steps are Goal definition, getting the team on board, road map
planning,scheduling of the sprints, checking in with all stakeholders, and the last step is a review
of the work. When combined, the small sprits help attain the goal; the next step is checking in
with all the stakeholders. In this way the agile methodology is able to attain objectives of the
client in a timely manner and can also be applied in the conference meeting project. Apart from
this the methodology also supports quick completion of the project which is useful for the hybrid
event because it helps ensure that the decided data is followed as the end date of the project.
Time management
In agile methodology, flexibility allows for better time management through various
means:prioritizing tasks that lie ahead according to the urgency can help the agile team to decide
the amount of time they need to spend on each task. The technique also gives room to decide on
which tasks require utmost attention and which, even if delayed, have no negative impact on the
project inthe long run. The linear approach used in delivering the Digital Management
Conference does not allow such flexibility as it follows a rigid process that is not easy to alter.
Scheduling the day-to-do list as a project manager is a good time management strategy
that can guarantee success. If one prefers to live by the calendar, allocating time blocks for
specific tasks is essential. An old truth says,"Work expands to fill the available time for its
completion." As a result of scheduling, a task for a specific time limit forces the brain to work
within the given timeframe and moves on when the lime limit tends to zero.
Another strategy for better time management in agile project management is measuring
time in minutes. According to a study by Forbes authored by Kruse (2015), the most productive
people view their day as 1440 minutes to get things done rather than in hours. The task may

require hours to get done, but plenty of small tasks are handled in minutes to achieve the main
task achievable in one hour. It is easy to allocate time in minutes for the agile methodology to
have the task completed faster by the team. However, in the linear methodology used, the time
allocation for different tasks was measured in months, weeks, and days which means the tasks
are enormous and not broken in subtasks, and therefore their accomplishment is quite
challenging, and therefore more time is being allocated for them.
As an event project manager, there are many last-minute urgent requests; some time
should be left for the unexpected. Manyevent project managers report the last minute as the
biggest obstacle to their productivity in event planning. Therefore, some portion of the available
time should be left for the unexpected when planning.
2.2 Risk Management
Crisis in an event industry is not a strange thing, and therefore the event management
team must be prepared to pivot and act fast. There are three different stages of risk management
in event management: adept, which addresses what needs to be done in addressing the current
situation; evolve – the lessons learned from the crisis and how to move towards recovery; and
lastly, accelerate – incorporating the lessons learned into the program for tremendous success.
The risk introduced by different types of changes is managed by the four step process of
managing risk under while methodology which can be used by conference management project
to handle different risks in a planned manner while also increasing responsiveness.
Due to changing nature of information and circumstances, the project planning team must
remain agile and gather as many details as intelligence information as possible about the human
and financial effects of the crisis. Once the team has understood the crisis and has a list of events
at hand, it is possible to perform a risk assessment for each of the listed events. Run reports

based on the event's location and attendees and travel plan to understand how the onsite
attendees are impacted. Project managers may ask questions about the risks of hosting the event,
the event insurance policy, andthe Majeure clause.
The SCRUM model helps in building strong teams and ensuring that the project is
completed in a timely manner by focusing on short-term goals. The SCRUM agile approach can
be used for this conference project because it is adaptable, fast, flexible and effective agile
framework that is designed to deliver value to the customer throughout the development of the
project. The SCRUM agile methodology is consumer oriented which can support the hybrid
conference meeting successfully fulfill demand of both virtual as well as live attendees.
The most critical conference-related risks factors include: financial risks related to
organization spending, ROI being impacted, and revenue; Regulatory risks – these are states,
federal, or federal regulations and their guidance impact on the event; contractual risks –include
contract clauses with vendors like venue, AV/production company technology providers and
many more. Branding and public image – the impacts delivering the conference have on the
company brand and public image; payment – subjects of human error and fraud. Be keen and
ensure all the payments are accounted for, and last lastly, the security and safety risks
2.3 Stakeholder Management
Stakeholders are individuals who have an interest and influence on the conference. It is
significant for the success of any event. In most cases, the stakeholders are overlooked, and it
happens both in agile and predictive methodologies.In an agile setup, time is significant, and
therefore, it means that the project management team must be watchful of safeguarding the event
team from possible distractions. As far as you are protecting the team from distractions, it is who
are the stakeholders in a SCRUM Agile approach applied to conference projects? Need to

research SCRUM as an agile method…and how it would lend itself to the conference project.
Need to look at guidance, waterfallversusagile doc, class slides and replay recordings – lots of
technical content missing and application to the conference project. essential at the same time to
factor in the changing priorities and needs of the stakeholders.
The SCRUM agile method would lend itself to the project by supporting flexible
environment in comparison to a stable environment in Waterfall methodology. This is because
SCRUM supports businesses in creating flexibility with responsiveness to change while waterfall
methodology leads to creation of rigid and stable environment. This is specifically important for
the hybrid event methods because it is subject to various changes such as technical barrier
affecting engagement of virtual guests. In such situations agile SCRUM will support the firm.
The primary stakeholders for the company will be virtual and live audience as well as the main
client.
Reason to choose the agile scrum
 Customer satisfaction- Customer is always include in decision making process that lead
to a greater customer retention. It help the organization t keep customer in loop an make
changes as per their feedback, by this company can deliver a value to their customer and
also ensure that final product is truly according to customer’s requirement.
 Better control- The agile allow organizational manger to have a better control over the
project because of its transparency, quality control and feedback integration. Quality is
ensured throughout implementation stage of respective project and all the stakeholders
are included in this project with a daily progress report through the advance reporting
techniques and tools

 Reduced risk- As respective project is using the Agile methodology due to which it will
never fail. The agile work in small sprints with focus on the continuous delivery. There
IS always small part which can be salvaged and utilized in future even if a specific
approach does not go as planned.
Three reasons for the agile project failure are of the agile methodology
This project methodology face a set of the challenges and issues related to
implementation a different approach to the project management. As per the VersionOne,
there are top three reasons which are mentioned below:
 Little understanding of required broader organsiatiobal changes.
 Inadequate experience with the agile methods
 Company philosophy and culture at odds with the agile values.
For the agile methodology, the stakeholder management includes the processes stated in
figure 1 below
Figure 1