120# - Unlock the Secrets of Hybrid Project Management

A month ago, I launched my latest LinkedIn Learning course, "Unlock the Secrets of Hybrid Project Management." (+12.000 learners) Developed in collaboration with the talented team of Chris Croft and Miles Croft from CRFT Productions , this course is a timely response to the shifting landscape of project management.

As we find ourselves in an era where projects and transformations are everywhere, and AI increasingly assumes routine administrative tasks, the spotlight turns to the modern project manager's soft skills and adaptability to managing change.

Hybrid project management is at the forefront of this transformation, combining Waterfall's structured, milestone-focused approach with Agile's iterative, responsive pace.

In this course, I guide you through the nuances of both and how they can be synergized to create a robust, flexible management style suited to the dynamic nature of modern projects.

You'll learn to assess project needs, choose methodologies that align with those needs, and adjust your management approach fluidly as projects evolve. By the end of the course, you'll understand how to leverage hybrid project management to increase project success despite unpredictability.

Course Overview

The course is divided into sections, each offering detailed insights into the multifaceted world of hybrid project management:

1. Hybrid Project Management Evolution Understand how hybrid project management has evolved to meet the demands of complex environments. From digital transformation to remote work, the hybrid approach equips you with the tools to face these challenges head-on.
2. Waterfall and Agile: The Foundations Dive into the traditional Waterfall method with its sequential phases and structured approach and then explore Agile project management's iterative and collaborative nature. These methods are brought to life through practical examples, from the Euro Tunnel to the animated triumph of "Frozen."
3. The Synergy of Hybrid Management The course illustrates how combining Agile and Waterfall methods, akin to creating a fusion cuisine, results in enhanced project outcomes. It’s about striking a perfect balance, like a chef combining diverse culinary traditions to create an innovative dish.
4. Project Definition and the Hybrid Edge Discover the art of defining and scoping projects within a hybrid framework, ensuring clarity and precision while allowing room for innovation and flexibility.
5. Strategic Resource Allocation: Learn to deploy resources strategically, drawing parallels with a football coach’s team management tactics.
6. The Right Tools for Hybrid Management Evaluate tools such as Microsoft Project, Jira, Asana, and others that can handle the divergent needs of a hybrid approach. These tools ensure smooth sailing even when integrating varied project management practices.
7. Embracing the Hybrid Model with Your Team will help you gain insights into transitioning your team to a hybrid model, which balances the comfort of familiar methods with the thrill of innovative practices.

Choosing the Best Method for Your Project

A significant part of mastering hybrid project management is determining which methodology—Waterfall, Agile, or Hybrid—best suits your project's unique demands. I have devised a straightforward yet potent scoring method to aid this decision.

Assign a score from 1 (lowest alignment) to 5 (highest alignment) for each of the five critical aspects of your project:

1. Scope Uncertainty: Score the predictability of your project’s requirements.
2. Change Adaptability: Evaluate how well the project must adapt to change.
3. Stakeholder Engagement and Feedback: Determine the level of stakeholder interaction needed.
4. Delivery Timeframe: Assess the urgency of the project’s timelines.
5. Risk and Complexity: Rate the complexity and associated risk management needs.

Based on the cumulative score, you'll have a clear guide:

• Waterfall may be suitable for scores between 5-9, suggesting stability and the need for detailed planning.
• A Hybrid approach is likely fitting for scores of 10-19, indicating a balance of steady and flexible needs.
• Scores of 20-25 suggest an Agile approach may be optimal, highlighting a requirement for rapid iteration and adaptability.

You can use this scoring guide to match your project with a management approach that best accommodates its unique characteristics and demands.

Fusing structured planning and agile execution is paramount in our fast-paced, complex business climate. I encourage you to innovate and implement the hybrid strategies you will acquire.

Enroll now and be at the forefront of transforming project management for the future.

These are the other two LinkedIn Learning courses just released:

• Adapt and Thrive: Change Management Skills Every Project Manager Needs (+5.000 learners) Change management is no longer optional; it's essential. With hundreds of thousands of roles requiring this expertise, my course equips you with the change management skills necessary to excel in uncertain times. Learn to lay the foundations of change, create and execute a robust change management plan, and continually conduct post-project reflections to enhance your approach.
• The Ultimate Guide to Sustainable Project Management (+1.000 learners): As we confront the urgent challenge of climate change, sustainability must be more than a concept—it must be our mission. In this course, I introduce new tools and techniques that integrate sustainability into the project lifecycle, empowering you to lead projects that contribute to our planet’s health and your organization’s sustainability goals.

And my other LinkedIn Learning courses on modern project management:

• Project Management Reinvented for Non-Project Managers (+55.000 learners)
• Project Canvas: A Simple Framework to Learn Project Management Fundamentals (+18.000 learners)
• A Modern Guide to Strategy Implementation (+17.000 learners)
• How to Be an Effective Project Sponsor (+4.500 learners)

In case you or some of your colleagues want to learn or refresh some concepts of modern project management.

Survey Hybrid Methods - Final Week

Few topics raise more passion than discussing project methods, such as waterfall, predictive, traditional, agile, scrum, change management, etc.

yet it is hard to find relevant studies and literature about hybrid approaches.

That is why we are conducting the first global survey on hybrid project management, which will illuminate this emerging field.

Click here to participate in the survey - Thank You!

That is all for the moment - as always, thanks for your ongoing support!

Hasta la vista!

Antonio