Paper and Presentation: Hybrid Project Management: Where Structure Meets Speed (It’s a Love–Hate Story)
Abstract: Project managers often find themselves in a tug-of-war. On one side: the comfort of structure, with its plans, processes, and predictability. On the other: the thrill of speed, with agility, iteration, and innovation.
Both have their strengths, both have their flaws—and most projects today need a little of both. Given that we are in a rapidly changing environment that requires us to transform to the needs of the hour, we need to have both structure and speed. That’s where Hybrid Project Management comes in: a creative mash-up of discipline and flexibility designed to help projects deliver value without losing their sanity.
This session will unpack what really happens when you try to marry order and chaos. Through stories and examples, we’ll explore how hybrid approaches can keep teams on track while still letting them pivot, adapt, and move fast. You’ll hear about common missteps (like adding too much process or too little direction), and leave with practical tips for finding the “just right” balance for your own organization.
Key Takeaways:
Spot when a hybrid approach is your best option—and when it’s not worth the drama.
Learn hacks to blend governance and agility without burning out your team.
Take home a flexible framework you can customize for speed, structure, and stakeholder sanity.
Whether you’re running digital transformations, multi-team initiatives, or just trying to keep projects from going off the rails, this session will give you tools (and a few laughs) to manage the complicated relationship between structure and speed.
PMI Talent Triangle: Ways of Working
Biography: Divya K. is a Program Management and Transformation Leader with over 20 years of experience leading PMO initiatives across Fortune 500 organizations, startups, and government sectors.
She currently serves as a senior PMO professional at BAE Systems and as the Associate Vice President of Strategy for the PMI Washington DC Chapter, where she focuses on advancing PMO strategy & governance initiatives.
Divya’s expertise spans Hybrid Project Management, PMO transformation, organizational change management, and leadership development. She has worked closely with C-Suite executives to align strategy with execution, improve PMO maturity, and enable large-scale enterprise programs.
A long-time PMI volunteer and board leader across multiple U.S. chapters (Rochester NY, Milwaukee WI, Phoenix AZ, Washington DC), Divya has dedicated her career to advancing the profession through mentorship, education, and community impact. She brings an authentic voice that bridges process with people — inspiring project leaders to deliver results that are both measurable and meaningful.
Professional Highlights
- 20+ years leading global programs in enterprise PMOs.
- Experience working directly with C-Suite and senior leadership teams to drive strategic alignment.
- Proven success across diverse industries — education, defense, healthcare, and technology.
- Certified PMP®, SAFe®, and PROSCI® Change Practitioner.
- Active leader within PMI’s Strategy & Governance function, fostering collaboration and innovation across the Washington DC Chapter.
- Regular speaker at PMI, Agile, and leadership forums on strategy, role of PMOs, and people in projects.
