Mark Jan Kevin Lamsen

In the past 11 years, my professional journey has been centered around IT and project management, with a strong focus on both Agile and Waterfall methodologies. This dual expertise has allowed me to thrive in dynamic environments, managing complex projects and adapting to diverse business needs.

I started my career in IT, gaining technical proficiency in various systems. Over the years, I honed my problem-solving and troubleshooting skills, which laid a strong foundation for transitioning into project management. My IT experience has proven invaluable in understanding technical constraints, communicating effectively with developers, and providing actionable insights that guide decision-making.

In the realm of project management, I’ve had the opportunity to work with both Agile and Waterfall frameworks, each of which offers unique benefits depending on the nature of the project. My experience spans a wide range of industries, from software development to IT infrastructure upgrades and digital transformation initiatives. Here’s how I’ve applied both methodologies:

With Waterfall, I’ve led large, sequential projects where requirements were clearly defined at the outset. This approach was particularly effective for projects with fixed scope, timeline, and budget, such as implementing enterprise-level software solutions or infrastructure overhauls. I focused on:

Planning and Scope Definition: Clear, upfront documentation of requirements and deliverables was crucial. This was followed by a comprehensive project plan, detailing the timeline, milestones, and dependencies.

Resource Allocation: Managing resources across various phases, from requirements gathering to design, development, testing, and deployment, ensured smooth execution. The linear nature of Waterfall helped maintain a predictable flow of tasks.

Risk Management: While Waterfall's rigid structure sometimes limits flexibility, I mitigated this by carefully monitoring risk throughout the lifecycle, anticipating potential roadblocks, and building contingency plans.

Stakeholder Communication: Regular progress reports, milestone reviews, and formal sign-offs at each stage kept stakeholders engaged and assured that the project was moving forward as planned.

In contrast, Agile projects required me to embrace adaptability and foster close collaboration with cross-functional teams. As an Agile practitioner, I managed iterative cycles of development with a focus on delivering incremental value. My key responsibilities included:

Sprint Planning: I led sprint planning sessions to prioritize backlogs and define goals, ensuring that we focused on delivering the highest value features first.

Team Collaboration: I worked closely with Scrum Masters and product owners to remove blockers, facilitate daily stand-ups, and ensure constant communication within teams. This helped maintain momentum and kept teams aligned with project goals.

Continuous Improvement: I supported retrospectives to identify process improvements, ensuring that teams could adapt their workflows for better efficiency and quality. This was key in maintaining a high-performing team environment.

Stakeholder Engagement: Agile allowed me to work more closely with stakeholders, delivering updates more frequently and ensuring that the project could pivot or adjust as business needs evolved.

Throughout my career, I’ve often had to bridge the gap between Agile and Waterfall teams, particularly when transitioning projects from one methodology to another or balancing different approaches in hybrid environments. My ability to navigate between the structured, documentation-heavy Waterfall world and the flexible, iterative Agile approach has allowed me to bring the best of both worlds to the table.

Ultimately, the last 11 years in IT and project management have been about embracing change, fostering collaboration, and delivering value to stakeholders regardless of methodology. This experience has shaped my adaptability, leadership, and strategic thinking—skills that I continue to refine in every project I undertake.