Rebles Guide to PM

1. Using RAG status in Agile projects

   

   RAG (Red, Amber, Green) status reporting is often associated with traditional, plan-driven project management. As a result, I’ve sometimes seen it dismissed as incompatible with Agile ways of working.

   In practice, that is rarely true. Plus, stakeholders love RAG reporting as a universal way to quickly understand what is going on. So Agile teams can’t escape using it! And shouldn’t try.

   Agile teams still need to communicate progress, project status, risk and confidence to stakeholders. The difference is not whether you report RAG with your updates, but how you do it. This article explores how RAG status in Agile environments can work without undermining Agile principles or creating unnecessary overhead.

   Why status reporting still matters in Agile

   Do I even need to explain this? Agile teams focus on delivering value iteratively, responding to change, and maintaining a sustainable pace. None of that removes the need for visibility.

   Stakeholders still want to know:

   • Are we on track to deliver what we said we would?
   • Are there risks we should be aware of?
   • Do we need to intervene or make decisions?

   RAG status, used thoughtfully, can provide a simple, shared language for answering those questions. The key is to integrate it into existing Agile events and artefacts, rather than bolting on a separate reporting layer.

   Understanding RAG status in an Agile context

   At its simplest, RAG status is a health indicator:

   • Green: on track, no material concerns
   • Amber/Yellow: at risk, attention or action required
   • Red: off track, intervention needed

   In traditional environments, RAG status is often applied to the whole project against a fixed baseline, or as an aggregate through different project components. For example, a leader might RAG project schedule, budget, scope and then aggregate that into a single RAG color for reporting.

   Agile environments are different. Work is incremental, scope evolves, and progress is measured through delivery rather than adherence to an upfront plan.

   This means color coding reports in Agile is usually:

   • Time-bound (for example, sprint-level rather than whole-project)
   • Outcome-focused (value delivered, not tasks completed)
   • Dynamic, changing as new information emerges.

   To be fair, even projects managed with linear methodologies often find that their RAG status is dynamic!

   

   How to report RAG status in Scrum

   Scrum already includes built-in opportunities for inspecting progress and adapting plans. RAG status can be layered into these without adding new ceremonies or additional bureaucracy.

   Sprint planning and sprint reviews

   During sprint planning, a simple RAG assessment can be used to test confidence in the sprint goal. For example:

   • Green: confident the sprint goal is achievable
   • Amber: risks identified that could affect delivery
   • Red: sprint goal unrealistic without change.

   The team can agree on this together, guided by the Scrum Master or project manager (if you have those roles).

   Sprint review reports

   In sprint reviews, agile RAG reporting can help frame the conversation with stakeholders. Rather than focusing only on what was delivered, the team can also discuss delivery confidence, emerging risks, and what that means for upcoming work.

   Daily stand-ups

   Daily stand-ups are not status meetings for management, but teams often find value in using informal RAG language internally.

   For example, a team member might say they are “Amber today” due to a dependency or blocker. The focus should be on ‘back to Green actions’. What does the team or squad need to do so that the blocker is resolved? Build your recovery plan into what happens next.

   Read next:How to get a project back to Green

   RAG becomes a familiar shorthand for stakeholders without detailed Agile knowledge, and a way to articulate confidence – alongside your existing burndown charts and other tools.

   How to use RAG status with Kanban

   Kanban’s visual nature makes it particularly well suited to RAG-style indicators. Many Kanban software tools will let you add a custom field for status or progress, and you can color code digital sticky notes (and physical ones) to easily see what activities need attention.

   Visualising RAG on Kanban boards

   RAG can be applied at different levels on a Kanban board:

   • Individual work items (for example, a blocked or at-risk ticket)
   • Columns or stages (highlighting bottlenecks)
   • Classes of service or workstreams.

   Managing flow and bottlenecks

   One of Kanban’s strengths is its focus on flow. RAG indicators can reinforce this by highlighting where work items have aged beyond expected thresholds. This is tedious to do by hand so set up automations to move the status on once the threshold is breached.

   

   Supporting continuous delivery

   Because Kanban operates in a continuous flow, RAG statuses for individual items should be reviewed regularly and updated in near real-time. This avoids the trap of stale status reports that no longer reflect reality, but it is more work for the person managing the ticket.

   Benefits of using RAG status in Agile frameworks

   I love RAG status reporting as it’s easy, universally understood (although make sure stakeholders do understand what the colors mean). It’s a huge value add for stakeholders and I’ve used it throughout my career.

   It gives you:

   Better visibility and transparency. RAG provides a quick, accessible snapshot for people who are not embedded in day-to-day delivery, without requiring detailed explanations of Agile metrics. I know you love velocity, but who outside the team really understands it?

   Proactive risk management.Let’s normalize Amber and Red status as signals rather than failures. Teams are more likely to talk about issues early (when they are easier to address) than hide them if they aren’t ashamed to move the status to Red.

   We’re communicating RAG status in agile teams and everyone knows what it means.

   Practical tips for implementing RAG in Agile teams

   If you want to introduce traffic light reporting into an Agile environment, a few principles will help it stick.

   Start small and lightweight

   Do not introduce new project reports or meetings purely for RAG. Do you really need a new project review meeting? I’m guessing no.

   Use what you have

   Use existing ceremonies and artefacts. The agile project health reporting that you already do could include the Red, Amber, Green status indicator.

   Agree what the colors mean

   Definitions should be explicit and shared, and ideally aligned to other projects using non-Agile approaches and reporting RAG status.

   Get your PMO definitions and use those – and if they really aren’t fit for purpose, have a good think about why so you can justify why an Amber adaptive project is not the same as an Amber linear or predictive project.

   Focus on outcomes, not activity

   Base RAG status on delivery confidence, risks and value, not on how busy people look! Software development keeps people busy – we know that already!

   Schedule slippage might be one of the criteria that pushes your sprint into Amber, if you can’t hit all the story points you expected to.

   Keep it honest

   If everything is always Green, the status is meaningless. Psychological safety matters. I’ve talked about watermelon projects before – agile deliveries are not special in that respect.

   Review and adapt

   If progress reporting starts to feel bureaucratic or unhelpful, change it! You would for any other part of an agile methodology that wasn’t working. You can do it with this too. Chat about it in the agile retrospective and update the ways of working for next time.

   Bringing it all together

   RAG status and Agile are not opposites – at least, that’s what I think.

   Agile provides the detail, learning loops and delivery rhythm. RAG provides a shared, high-level language for confidence and risk. Together, they can improve transparency, trust and decision-making for portfolio reporting.

   What do you think?

   This article first appeared on Rebel's Guide to Project Management and can be read here: Using RAG status in Agile projects

2. MPlaza PRINCE2® Practitioner Online Course Review (for 2026)

   

   Welcome to my Mplaza PRINCE2® Practitioner review! I gained a lot of project management knowledge and confidence from doing my PRINCE2 course. It was a few years ago now, but the experience gave me the vocab, structure, and processes to confidently deliver projects.

   

   My PRINCE2 training experience

   I first passed the PRINCE2 exams in 2004, so I've got a lot of experience with both the training materials, content and using the approach in real life.

   BUT… it’s hugely important to choose a good quality PRINCE2 course. If I remember rightly, the training firm I used when I took the course again when my certificate expired was nowhere near as good.

   Fortunately, I was only there for a refresher, but if it’s your first time taking PRINCE2 and you want to pass on the first attempt – then my recommendation for the best online PRINCE2 Practitioner training is the Mplaza course I’m about to tell you about.

   In this MPlaza PRINCE2 Practitioner course review for project managers, I’ll share:

   • Whether the course is worth it (spoiler: it is)
   • Why it’s a good choice for project managers
   • How long you’ll need to spend studying before you can expect to pass the exam.

   I’ve spent many hours reviewing the materials and going through the lessons so you can save time making the decision about the best PRINCE2 certification course for you.

   If you want to learn more about my thought process for validating online training, I have written before about how to choose a PRINCE2 course online, and that explains what I think is important for virtual training.

   The Practitioner course is fully online, so you can study in your own time. Build your confidence for the exam with the practice materials. Many competing course packages give you less content or don’t include the exam fee and don’t come close to Mplaza’s quality.

   

   Who is PRINCE2 Practitioner for?

   You need to have passed PRINCE2 Foundation before you can take the Practitioner exam or hold an alternative certification (PMP®, CAPM®, or an IPMA Level A, B, C, or D certificate).

   You don’t need to have any particular project management experience, so you can be working in another role with no relevant work experience.

   However, I can say that the exam is easier, having worked in a project environment. The people in my class (I took my first Practitioner exam in a classroom) were a mixed group of people working as project managers and those who were yet to break into the job.

   I believe the people who didn’t work with projects every day found the experience of learning harder simply because there is a ton of stuff you have to pick up, the jargon can be obscure, and some of the processes don’t feel intuitive unless you have worked through them already.

   So, if you have some project experience, I would recommend PRINCE2 Practitioner. You can still do it without work experience, but expect to have to put in some more time to fully learn the concepts.

   

   About the course and structure

   This course offers everything you need to learn PRINCE2 and prepare for the PRINCE2 Practitioner exam.

   It is equivalent to 48 contact hours of training. The lessons are 10-15 minutes, so you can fit them in during the day. Expect to spend about a week in total working through the materials.

   You don’t need any special tech as the lessons are available via the Mplaza website, and you can access them anywhere with a web browser.

   Which PRINCE2 Practitioner training package is right for you?

   Mplaza offers three options for people who want to study for and pass the Practitioner exam.

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   Best all-round option: Online course package

   This self-study package includes:

   • The eLearning course 42 (short) video lessons with English subtitles
   • The exam simulator with 2 sample exams, and 270 questions (the equivalent of 4 exam papers) so you can test your knowledge
   • The official voucher you need to take the exam online
   • Pass guarantee.

   This is the option that I would recommend for who have no prior experience. However, it will help if you work in a PRINCE2 environment (not necessary though). And you have to have done the PRINCE2 Foundation as a pre-requisite, either by taking PRINCE2 training online or in a classroom.

   You get everything you need: excellent quality course content, access to practice exams to get confident for test day and the exam fee is included too.

   Best for exam practice: Practitioner Exam Simulator

   This option is just access to the best PRINCE2 exam simulator for Practitioner exams for one year.

   This is the option that is right for you if you are studying with a provider that does not offer a tool for mock exams. I found it really helpful to do a lot of practice questions for PRINCE2 because the exam is not straightforward. You need to be able to interpret the options and make smart choices – and some of that is about knowing how questions are phrased.

   Understanding the style and format of questions is very useful, and the exam simulator helps with that.

   It includes the equivalent of 4 exam papers, but as the questions are dynamic, you’ll find you can take more than that and see different question/answer combinations.

   Pros

   The advantages of the MPlaza PRINCE2 Foundation course are:

   • It’s amazing value. You get a lot of content for the price (and no filler stuff either)
   • There is an active Facebook group which is helpful in case you get stuck or have questions. It’s also motivating to hear other students’ stories!
   • There is no homework! Other courses rely on homework to get through the syllabus in time, but this course covers the content in other ways.
   • The videos are great with nice visuals. The trainers are engaging and the conversational presentation style is easy to follow.
   • There is a pass guarantee. You probably won’t need it. The course is so good and has excellent pass rates.

   Frank and Nader come across as genuine experts in the subject matter. The customer service and responsiveness is great. You get access to their team of tutors too, so there is always someone around to offer help if you get stuck.

   The course is fantastic value for money. The exam simulator is brilliant, and really cements what you need to know for the test.

   Wondering if you really need the exam simulator? You do. Read more about it in my PRINCE2 exam simulator review for Practitioner.

   Cons

   The biggest disadvantage is that it does not come with any PRINCE2 books or a copy of the official PRINCE2 manual. The Foundation course gives you an electronic version of the manual, but the course listing for this Practitioner course no longer mentions you get a copy -- I'd expect you do, but worth checking before you buy if that's important to you.

   If you do want a print version, you have to buy that separately. It’s available on Amazon or from the publisher and other bookshops. It costs around £80 so it’s quite an investment.

   You don’t actually need the manual to do the course but it is referenced in some of the lessons. I found it helpful to have a print version of the book to make my notes in.

   I recommend that you buy the printed manual for the exam because the exam is open book. You can use your manual during the exam – that’s an advantage you don’t want to miss out on!

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   Other disadvantages:

   • Students who learn better in a classroom environment should choose an in-person course instead of this. It’s good, but it’s not the same as learning with a group of your peers.
   • There are no end-of-lesson quizzes. Each lesson ends with a summary but you can’t really test yourself unless you use the simulator.

   Recommendation: Should you buy this course?

   I love this PRINCE2 Practitioner online self-study course and exam simulator, so I think you should get it if you are planning on taking the certification.

   I think it is well-put together, confidently delivered, and the student feedback is overwhelmingly positive. The team behind it are willing to help and committed to your success.

   I recommend the training, which is exactly what you need if you want to show up for your test feeling confident and ready.

   I should let you know that I am so impressed with Frank that I’m an affiliate for the Mplaza products, but I only recommend products I have tested out and am confident in.

   This article first appeared on Rebel's Guide to Project Management and can be read here: MPlaza PRINCE2® Practitioner Online Course Review (for 2026)

3. MPlaza PRINCE2® Foundation Online Course Review (for 2026)

   

   Welcome to my Mplaza PRINCE2® Foundation review! I owe a lot of my confidence as a project manager to the PRINCE2 course I took many years ago (I took it the first time in 2004).

   The training gave me all the basics, the jargon, and ability to plan and manage a project.

   BUT… it’s hugely important to choose a good quality course. I’ve lost count of the number of people who have had bad experiences with PRINCE2 training providers… and that’s a lot of wasted money.

   In this PRINCE2 Foundation Management Plaza review for soon-to-be project managers, I’ll share:

   • Whether the course lives up to the hype (spoiler: it does)
   • Why it’s especially good for early career project managers
   • How long you’ll need to spend studying before you can expect to pass the exam.

   I’ve spent many hours reviewing the materials and going through the lessons so you can save time in your own course evaluation.

   If you want to learn more about my thought process for validating online training, I have written before about how to choose a PRINCE2 course online, and that explains what I think is important for virtual training.

   With the Foundation course, you can study in your own time and build your confidence for the exam. Many competing course packages give you fewer hours of material or don’t include the exam fee and don’t come anywhere close to Mplaza’s quality.

   It even includes access to an active Facebook group where Frank – the lead trainer – is active pretty much every day.

   

   Who is PRINCE2 Foundation for?

   PRINCE2 Foundation is the entry-level course for early-career project managers. You don’t need any prior knowledge or pre-requisite study in order to study and sit for the exam.

   When I took my first PRINCE2 course, I did a 2-day classroom course and then sat the Foundation exam on the following morning.

   Foundation is a great entry point for people who work in a PRINCE2 environment or who want to learn more about a process and principle-led approach to managing projects.

   Despite the fact that you don’t need any prior experience, I think it would be helpful to have at least some knowledge of working in projects. PRINCE2, like any project management course, includes a lot of jargon. While no knowledge is assumed, you will find it easier to grasp the concepts if you do have some basic understanding of project work.

   Note: If you are planning to do Practitioner soon after your Foundation exam, don’t buy this training. Get the PRINCE2 Practitioner online course instead. That one will cover you for both exams.

   About the course and structure

   This course offers everything you need to learn PRINCE2 and prepare for the PRINCE2 Foundation exam. It even comes with Pass Guarantee!

   The videos are available in English and French, with optional subtitles (in English or French). There is also a time-stamped transcript which I found very useful, especially if you have to stop a lesson because you need a study break for whatever reason. The timestamps make it super easy to find where you need to start from when you return to the class.

   The PRINCE2 Foundation course online is structured in a logical way. There is a link at the end of each lesson to take you to the next lesson.

   The first 14 lessons are free so you can check out the teaching style and make sure the course is a good fit for you.

   You should expect to take about 24 hours to work through the course content, perhaps longer if you do all the relevant reading and exercises.

   Which PRINCE2 Foundation training package is right for you?

   Mplaza offers three options for people who want to study for and pass the Foundation exam.

   [lasso id="6" label="" link_id="289765" type="table"]

   Best all-round option: Online course package

   This self-study package includes:

   • The eLearning course 89 (short) video lessons, equivalent to 3 days in the classroom
   • Printable handouts
   • Integrated flashcards
   • PDF training manual
   • The exam simulator, so you can test your knowledge
   • The official voucher you need to take the exam online
   • Pass guarantee.

   This is the option that I would recommend for who have no prior experience and haven’t yet done any PRINCE2 training online or in a classroom.

   You get everything you need: excellent quality course content, access to practice exams to get confident for test day and the exam fee is included too.

   Best for exam practice: Foundation Exam Simulator

   This option is just access to the PRINCE2 exam simulator for Foundation for one year.

   I’m not sure why you would buy this separately. You may as well get the Exam Pack (see below) and get the exam fee included.

   Perhaps this would be a good option if you are studying with another training provider and find that their material does not give you enough experience of what the real exam will be like. Get the simulator as a standalone option and then you can build exam practice ready for your test.

   Regardless, this is one of the best PRINCE2 exam simulators out there, so if it’s the right option for you, go for it.

   

   Best for exam takers: Exam Pack

   This option only includes the elements you need if you are ready to take the exam.

   Let’s say you took a training course with another vendor, or have done some self-study, or you have already failed the exam once and need to re-sit. This is the package for you. It includes:

   • Access to the exam simulator for a year
   • PDF training manual that is good for a refresher
   • The official voucher you need to book and take the exam online.

   If you are confident that you already understand the content but just need some exam practice, then this is perfect for you.

   Quiz

   The lesson ends with a quick self-test quiz. I like the fact that the answers are hidden. Hit the button on the screen to show the answers and see how you did.

   The downside of the quiz is that all the answers display at once. I found it was best to write my answers down and then compare them all in one go. You can’t just do one question and check it – I ended up ‘cheating’ by accident as you can’t avoid seeing the answers.

   Pros

   The advantages of the MPlaza PRINCE2 Foundation course are:

   • You get a lot of stuff for the price. It’s amazing value.
   • The videos are great with nice visuals.
   • The course is definitely good quality.
   • The pass rates are good – people report having exam success with Mplaza materials so you can be confident that if you follow the program, you have a good chance of a positive outcome. There is a pass guarantee to back that up.

   Frank comes across as a genuinely interested tutor. He seems to love the content, and I liked that he made me enthusiastic about – let’s face it – a project management approach that is generally thought of as pretty bureaucratic.

   The team is active on Facebook and the customer service and responsiveness is great. You get access to their team of tutors too, so there is always someone around to offer help if you get stuck.

   The course is fantastic value for money. You won’t need any other PRINCE2 books. The exam simulator is brilliant, and really cements what you need to know for the test.

   Wondering if you really need the exam simulator? You do. Read more about it in my PRINCE2 exam simulator review for Foundation.

   Cons

   The disadvantages of the MPlaza PRINCE2 Foundation training that I found are as follows.

   First, the biggest disadvantage is that it does not come with a printed version of the official PRINCE2 manual. You have to buy that separately, or use the electronic version.

   The course is designed so that you don’t actually need a print eversion, but I felt more secure having a copy. The book is not the greatest to read anyway, and you get everything you need to know in the lessons, handouts and training manual.

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   The learning management system is pretty basic. It’s functional and it looks like it has been built directly on to a website, if you know what I mean. If you are used to a slick LMS or courseware with features like being able to take your own notes on the same page as the video, then you might be disappointed.

   However, the look and feel is clean and obviously the LMS doesn’t affect the quality of the course content in any way.

   Another disadvantage is that the training is not interactive. Yes, there are the end-of-lesson quizzes, but these days video content can be a lot more engaging than simply listening to a person talk.

   Given that they are relatively short, around 10 minutes, it’s fine though. I reckon it’s not too hard to stay engaged in bite-sized chunks. It was OK for me.

   Having said that, there are some ‘educational games’. I didn’t get a lot out of those as that is not my preferred way of learning. Perhaps I’m too old!

   Recommendation: Should you buy this course?

   You should buy this course.

   I think it is the best PRINCE2 online Foundation course. It’s well-put together, confidently delivered, and the student feedback is overwhelmingly positive.

   The team behind it are committed and helpful, and if you want to show up for your PRINCE2 Foundation exam feeling confident and ready, this is the course I recommend.

   I should let you know that I am so impressed with Frank that I’m an affiliate for the Mplaza products, but I only recommend products I have tested out and am confident in.

   This article first appeared on Rebel's Guide to Project Management and can be read here: MPlaza PRINCE2® Foundation Online Course Review (for 2026)

4. How to communicate RAG status effectively to stakeholders

   

   RAG status reporting is one of the most widely used techniques in project management. It is also one of the most misunderstood.

   A simple Red, Amber or Green traffic light indicator can help stakeholders quickly understand whether work is on track. However, without careful communication, RAG status can cause confusion, defensiveness, or false reassurance. A green project can still be heading for trouble (watermelon projects, anyone?), and a red project is not necessarily failing.

   This article looks at how to communicate RAG status clearly and professionally, so stakeholders understand what the status really means and what, if anything, they need to do next.

   Why effective RAG communication matters

   The purpose of RAG status reporting for stakeholders is not to make the project manager look good (although that’s a nice bonus, if you’re the only person in the team reporting Green each week – as long as you are being honest about it), or to avoid difficult conversations.

   The RAG status is to support decision-making as well as showing project health. When you’re a senior leader looking at a big list of projects, or risks or issues, or whatever, RAG helps you prioritize where to spend your time.

   Effective RAG communication helps you:

   • Build trust through transparency
   • Surface issues early, while there are still options
   • Focus attention on what matters most
   • Enable timely decisions and interventions.

   How to explain RAG status

   RAG status does not mean the same thing to everyone. That’s why the PMO should have clear definitions of what the colors mean.

   Use my RAG status definitions if you don’t have your own.

   Make sure that the people who are reading the statuses understand what they mean. This is especially important if you have different RAG ratings for different project components, that then all aggregate into an overall project (or program or portfolio) status.

   Project components could be:

   • Budget and financial management
   • Delivery and schedule
   • Benefits
   • People and resource management

   Typically, I wouldn’t include Risk as a component, because risk ratings can be scored separately. You can have a project that is Green but still high risk.

   Common stakeholder groups receiving status reviews include:

   • Senior leaders or sponsors, who are interested in outcomes, risk exposure and decisions required
   • Delivery teams, who need clarity on priorities, blockers and next steps
   • External clients or partners, who are concerned with confidence, progress and expectations

   Each group needs a different level of detail for project status communication, and a different emphasis. The color might be the same, but the message should not be. When you’re explaining why your project is Red to your CIO, talk about what action needs to be done to get back to Green.

   Read next:How to Get Back to Green on a Red Project

   RAG reporting best practices

   Clarity and conciseness

   Your RAG status should be unambiguous. Avoid hedging language such as “mostly green” or “amber but fine”. If it is amber, say so, and explain why.

   Communicating RAG status in a good way answers three questions:

   • What is the current status?
   • Why is it this color?
   • What are you doing about it?

   Use the same definitions in your risk management reporting or other key performance indicators so there is consistency.

   

   Visual aids and dashboards

   RAG works best when it is visible and consistent, so it absolutely should be in your project scorecard and dashboards.

   Project reports, summary tables and simple charts help stakeholders orient themselves quickly. Avoid overcrowding visuals with excessive commentary; use supporting notes to add context where required.

   You can also include a column in a project timeline slide to show RAG ratings per workstream or swimlane. Take it further and use it for resource allocation on tasks as well!

   Consistency of format

   Changing definitions, thresholds or formats week to week undermines confidence, which goes back to what I said earlier about having PMO-agreed definitions of what it means to be Green.

   For example, unapproved scope changes might make a project Amber for the project schedule element of the work, but everything else might be Green. In this scenario, you’d be waiting for the steering group to approve the scope change, and then you’ll be back to Green.

   Be consistent

   Apply the definitions consistently. And challenge other project managers who don’t seem to be following the guidance!

   Consistency of cadence

   While real-time data is awesome, unless you’ve got software doing the heavy lifting for you, you won’t have automatically changing RAG statuses.

   Align your RAG reporting to your reporting frequency. For me, that’s once a week. If a project is Green but falling into the Amber zone, flag that before it happens to give stakeholders the heads up.

   Communicating RAG status to senior management

   Senior stakeholders are not looking for operational detail. They want to understand impact and choices.

   When reporting RAG status upwards:

   • Lead with the headline color
   • Explain the business or strategic impact
   • Be explicit about decisions, support or trade-offs required and the action plans going forward.

   Executive summaries are particularly effective. One or two well-structured paragraphs are often more useful than a long narrative buried in a status report.

   For example, an Amber status might be framed around schedule risk, cost exposure, or dependency management, rather than task-level issues.

   A Red project might be Red because benefits are underperforming, not because there is an issue with delivery.

   Engaging external clients with RAG reporting

   With external stakeholders, RAG status plays a strong role in trust and confidence.

   Transparency is important, but so is proportionality. Clients do not need every internal issue, but they do need to know when something could affect outcomes.

   Be really careful about reporting Red to external stakeholders – you just know they are going to get on the phone to someone really senior at your company, so make sure you’ve got all your internal stakeholders aware of the facts before you share that news with externals.

   Good practice includes:

   • Pairing RAG status with reassurance and mitigation actions (if you’re telling them the project is Amber/Yellow or Red)
   • Avoiding surprises by socializing issues before formal reporting
   • Managing expectations by explaining what the color means in practice – ideally you would have shared this at the point you started reporting, and include the thresholds for each color in every report as a key.

   A Red status, when handled professionally, can actually strengthen a relationship if it is accompanied by clear options and a recovery plan.

   Proactive engagement strategies

   RAG status should support conversations, not replace them.

   Use proactive engagement to bring the status to life:

   • Regular check-ins or briefings to discuss changes in status
   • Open channels for questions and clarification
   • Collaborative problem-solving sessions for amber or red areas

   We’re looking for stakeholders to feel involved in resolving issues, and kept close to developments as they happen.

   Watermelon projects

   Clear RAG reporting and communication helps you avoid ‘watermelon’ status, where your project is Green on the outside but Red inside.

   If that happens too often, you’ll find that stakeholders stop believing the status indicators and challenge even Green status as it won’t feel reasonable or realistic. And that’s a lot more work for you.

   

   Your next steps

   If your current RAG reporting feels performative or unhelpful, start small.

   You could:

   • Revisit and clarify your RAG definitions with stakeholders.
   • Add a short narrative explaining “why” and “what next”.
   • Adjust your reporting style for different audiences.

   Over time, effective RAG communication becomes less about colors and more about confident, transparent leadership.

   This article first appeared on Rebel's Guide to Project Management and can be read here: How to communicate RAG status effectively to stakeholders

5. How To Make 2026 A Successful Year for Your Projects

   

   Would you like to make 2026 a successful year for your projects? I'm sure you do -- it's kind of expected for us in project delivery roles.

   But what does it take to be successful? What does success even look like for you? That's the starting point: what does it mean to be successful or to have successful projects?

   For me, it means:

   • A decent work/life balance
   • Fun, manageable projects that don't feel like dramas all the time
   • The support of my PMO and sponsors, and reasonable demands from management
   • Being able to get things done and deliver tasks, hit milestones and demonstrate that I am delivering.

   Is that the same as for you?

   Possibly not, but you'll have your own ideas about what it will look like, when you reflect back in December 2024, that define personal and professional success for you in the preceding 12 months.

   So that's what we define as success. But how do we get there?

   The skill that will make you successful as a project leader

   I think professional judgement is what sets excellent project managers apart from good project managers.

   Business acumen and the ability to navigate office politics help you get work done when your project isn't textbook.

   This year, I think we'll see (and expect) more and more good project managers flexing their professional judgement. You want to do an agile-waterfall blend with a virtual team? If it works for you, just do it.

   You want to get commitment from project sponsors? Put a recommendation forward about how things are going to be different. Be braver. Be bolder.

   Generally, in my experience, if you are acting in the interests of your projects and your organization, no one is likely to fire you over your actions. So assume positive intent from your stakeholders and trust your judgement!

   We have more flexibility to adapt project approaches to our environment than ever before, but we need to have a solid basis for making the right call before we make tailoring decisions. Plus it helps to be a bit brave and to have someone in your corner!

   Mentoring is one way to take control of your own development needs. I think the complexities of your project management environment will encourage more managers to seek out mentors and coaches for themselves and their teams.

   

   But that's just my view. A while back, I asked project management experts what we should be aware of as we go into the new year to achieve their most successful year ever?

   And this article is a summary of what they replied.

   The collected wisdom in their answers is incredibly valuable. I'm sure you take away tips and ideas for making this your best year yet managing projects at work.

   It's a lot to read, so here are some spoilers drawn from common themes I heard time and time again in the interviews:

   • Agile: if you don't know enough about it, you need to start learning.
   • Soft skills, interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence: whatever you call it, these are crucial and stakeholder management and communication come out top time and time again.
   • Leadership: ethical, authentic leadership is what helps get work done and set you apart from your peers.

   And in no particular order we start with:

   Mark Phillips

   

   High performing teams are motivated by an exceptional vision. Work with your stakeholders to craft a clear and powerful vision for your project or your particular phase of the project. The vision becomes a touchstone for difficult discussions with stakeholders, a path to unity for all project participants and a guide post for decision making with your team throughout the project.

   These past few years have seen an incredible evolution in the way software is built. In these next years, we're going to see a new wave of what software can do with the growing capabilities of machine learning, artificial intelligence and data pipelines across enterprises.

   Mark Phillips runs a consultancy focused on high performing projects. He is the author of Reinventing Communication by Routledge, a book on how to design, lead and manage high performing projects.

   You can see Mark's book, and all the other experts' books on Amazon here.

   ---

   Ranjit Sidhu

   

   As we go into next year, you should be aware that self-care and wellbeing are trends worth promoting not only because they feel good, but because they lead to better productivity and happier people.

   The extension of self-care is caring for others, also crucial for project management and change management. Connecting with people, collaborating, partnering, so you can inspire enthusiasm, overcome resistance, and help make change happen.

   Going with the flow seems to go against years of traditional project management thinking, but we have found it easier to do by focusing on our bigger purpose and values, all while remaining agile day-to-day so we can adapt quickly. It's how we can help people and organisations adapt in fast-changing times.

   Ranjit Sidhu, Managing Director of ChangeQuest, is a recognised authority on change management and behavioural skills. Find her on Twitter.

   ---

   Ben Aston

   

   It might seem like we could let our increasingly agile, multi-disciplinary, and highly collaborative teams just get on with it. You'd be forgiven for thinking you'll be fine if you just go along for the ride as a glorified project administrator.

   But we can do better. Successful project managers will be those that embrace the mantle of leadership.

   This starts with a solid understanding of success, beyond  cost, schedule and scope. Think about how you're delivering on the project's strategic goals and how you'll be able to demonstrate the ROI that your stakeholders need to look good. Remember your stakeholders' tacit goals too -- you're in the rockstar-making business. Make them look good, and in turn, they'll make you look good.

   When you know what success looks like you can inspire, motivate and lead the team with a clear unifying vision. Help your team get hold of the vision and understand why they should care and how they can take ownership to be meaningfully involved.

   Throughout the project, leadership is simple: you serve your team. Project leadership is about how far you can advance those on your team to be the best version of themselves. Practically that means asking yourself how are you going to make your team's life better today? A well-documented plan? Proper briefs? Donuts? Be the person that moves mountains for them. And they'll repay you in kind.

   Ben Aston runs the blog The Digital Project Manager, the weekly Digital Project Manager podcast, and is a digital project manager in real life too.

   

   ---

   John Estrella

   

   We can't ignore PMI's direction to incorporate adaptive life cycles such as agile, iterative or incremental life cycles into project and development life cycles.

   External factors around projects are constantly changing at a breakneck speed which makes it challenging to definitively control the outcome without frequent course correction.

   [lasso id="30401" label="" link_id="286620" ref="pmbok-guide-7"]

   PMI's Project Management Professional (PMP)® credential will continue to thrive. It can serve as a baseline, but most project managers ought to layer some sort of agile certification on top of it. Brain Sensei's Complete PMP® Exam Prep course can be taken anytime and anywhere. Its unique storytelling approaching using a Japanese female samurai makes learning project management and preparing for the PMP exam so much fun!

   John A. Estrella, PhD, CMC, PMP, is Co-Founder and President of Agilitek Corporation and Brain Sensei, Inc. John is the co-author of Agile Project Management for Mobile Application Development.

   ---

   Mike Clayton

   

   Focus hard on your communication with stakeholders. Whatever your level of commitment to this vital task, please review how you can do even better. This may be by adopting a new tool or approach, learning some new skills in listening, influence, or negotiation, or maybe simply allocating more time to it.

   DrMike Claytonis one of the most in-demand project management trainers in the UK. He is author of 13 best-selling books, including four about project management. He runs the online training site, OnlinePMCourses.com.

   ---

   Helena Lui

   

   Agile project management is on the rise. Learning the different methodologies in Agile (e.g. XP, scrum, lean, etc.) and how to apply it can be extremely beneficial: that's what I would advise for people wanting to have a year of managing successful projects.

   Helena Liu, PMP, is a project manager and the founder of ExamsPM, an organisation that helps PMP-aspirants get certified.

   ---

   Sarah Parsons

   

   For a successful year my number one piece of advice is to do the basics well. Communicate thoroughly, be consistent and remember that your role is focused on both getting the work done and supporting the team.

   This isn't ground-breaking, but a surprising number of project managers don't do the basics well.

   If someone emails you, email them back. If you owe someone information, or have promised to deliver something, deliver it. If you said you'd have an answer and you don't, communicate that early, clearly and with a solution in mind.

   Consistently do the basics of your job well and you will stand out from the majority of your peers.

   Sarah Parsons, MBA and founder of StrategySarah.com, helps busy professionals make it easier to get life and business done.

   ---

   Bill Dow

   

   With the likes of PowerBI and Tableau taking off around dashboard and reporting, I think our executives and leadership are going to want to see more project data real time.

   Bill Dow, PMP, is a recognised expert in developing and managing Project Management Offices (PMOs.) He is co-author several comprehensive books, and runs regular webinars which you can find out about on his Facebook page.

   ---

   Jonathan Norman

   

   I suspect that we may be faced with increasing political turbulence, which may have a significant impact on your organization or the projects that you are running.

   The lesson I need to remember is that, whilst experimenting is an integral part of innovation, the most successful programs are those that recognize the ongoing needs of business-as-usual and balance the tried and tested with the new.

   Jonathan Norman was the Knowledge Manager for the Major Projects Knowledge Hubin the UK and is now a freelance contractor.

   ---

   Monica Borrell

   

   I am noticing two trends. First, virtual teams are becoming the norm. Second, the use of lean and agile tools and methodologies beyond IT, software and manufacturing. For example, Cardsmith has customers using Kanban to manage bookkeeping and accounting work.

   These two trends taken together mean that visual, collaborative tools are becoming more important to teams. Visual, lean tools that truly engage all team members are going to become essential.

   Collaboration with context is my current mantra. The context is the visual board in whatever configuration best suits the particular project and team.

   Monica Borrell, PMP, is the CEO and co-founder of Cardsmith, a visual planning, communication, and project management tool.

   ---

   Colin Ellis

   

   The secret to continual project success lies in the ability to build great teams. Teams that understand what it means to be the best versions of themselves, how to hold each other to account, how to behave and communicate.

   Teams that know how to challenge each other, to work autonomously to deliver great products and that take responsibility when others are struggling.

   Teams that take the time to celebrate success, to socialize and that put effort into  relentlessly developing themselves and the way that they do things.

   Empathy lies at the heart of great teams and project managers should be role models for this, putting time and effort into demonstrating the behaviors expected of others and building relationships so that bonds can be built and maintained.

   Project managers, and scrum masters for that matter, that wish to stay
   relevant for years to come need to develop their emotional intelligence and team building skills.

   Colin Ellisis an award-winning international project management speaker and trainer. He is the author of two project management books:The Conscious Project Leader and The Project Rots from the Head. Find out more about Colin's work at colindellis.com
   

   ---

   Soma Bhattacharya

   

   Agile has been the trendiest thing for a while now and recently we have  seen Agile considerably embedded in the project management domain, globally.

   I think the goal for every project manager should be to upgrade their certification to an Agile Project Management Certification or simply ensure that you understand how Agile works, the terminologies and the different frameworks in it.

   Soma Bhattacharya is an Agile consultant.

   ---

   Vasil Klimko

   

   As collaboration software evolves, project managers will be able to further expand their scope for talent. Highly talented freelancers no longer need to travel into a major metropolis to find work in their industry.

   What I think we'll see next year is that tools will be developed that will allow these freelancers to take their credibility with them across projects, allowing potential employers to judge work and merit based on data and results, not just word of mouth.

   I see a future where Project Managers will be able to reference a talent hub to see how freelancers have delivered work in the past as well as view client feedback.

   Vasil Klimko is a sales and operations management specialist.

   ---

   Brett Harned

   

   The best way to make next year your most successful year yet is to plan for it! It sounds like such a PM thing to say, but it's true. As PMs, we so often are focused on other people's (team members, stakeholders) goals that we often fail to think of ourselves.

   We love lists, so get to it: you know you'll feel great if you have a roadmap for the year and you can meet milestones regularly. That, in and of itself, will make the year a success.

   Brett Harned is a Partner at Same Team Partners, author of Project Management for Humans, and the founder of the Digital PM Summit.

   

   ---

   Nicole Nader

   

   I believe that the fastest and most effective way to make my team the best team is for me to be my best self.

   People respond instinctively to body language, words, tone and enthusiasm: if my verbal and physical cues indicate that I am uninspired and unmotivated, then why would I expect my team to have pep in their step and a passion for what they are doing?

   For me, my best self starts by prioritizing the routines that bring about my best performance. This means putting my health (physical and mental), fitness and family first, even when everyone else is throwing their own problems in my direction. It's only when I have this in hand that I can really start to relate to my team on a personal level, find out what makes them tick, and truly lead by example.

   Nicole Nader was a Board member of the Australian Institute of Project Management in 2018.

   

   ---

   Andy Kaufman

   

   To be more successful in the coming year, the most important thing you can do is to learn how to calculate critical path by hand.

   Hah! That's not even remotely true! For most project managers, your success in the new year has less to do with your technical project management skills. Rather, as with most years, your ability to thrive has much more to do with your ability to lead and influence.

   As I work with project managers around the world, increasingly there's one success trait that I find could use a tune-up. In a word, it's assertiveness.

   Here's what I wish for you as you start a new year. Dial up your assertiveness, even if just a little. Speak up a little more often. Lean in a little more to the opportunities before you. Try some new things you may have checked out on.

   Andy Kaufman, PMP, is an international speaker, author, and executive coach at the Institute for Leadership Excellence & Development Inc. He is the author of Navigating the Winds of Change: Staying on Course in Business and Life and Shining the Light on the Secret. He is also the host ofThe People and Projects Podcast.

   ---

   Louise Worsley

   

   As a project coach, I get many opportunities to ask the question, "What did you learn from most over the last few years?" So far no one has ever answered; "There was this great course..."

   Most adult learning comes from relevant experience: challenges faced on a project, interactions with peers, or opportunities which force reflection upon and make sense of our experience.

   Creating your personal learning environment is more than just responding to immediate needs in the workplace. It's a way of life, a way of becoming a modern professional learner to meet today's ever changing challenges.

   Louise Worsley is a PPPM consultant and a visiting lecturer in project management at The University of Cape Town. She is also the author of Stakeholder-led Project Management: Changing the way we manage projects.

   ---

   Robin Burk

   

   The effective project manager has a way to deal with unexpected change and uncertainty. She builds resilience into her team, her approach and her response to unanticipated events.

   Resilience means being able to absorb unexpected events and changes while still reaching your goals. The effective project manager can do even more: she can build a team that is so resilient they are antifragile and thrive on change. And that will be increasingly important.

   Dr. Robin Burk has extensive project, program and executive management experience in rapidly changing tech markets. She is the managing director of Analytic Decisions2 LLC and author of Check Your Connections: How to Thrive in an Uncertain World.

   ---

   Ray McKenzie

   

   There's an increase in distributed teams, personnel, and abilities within organizations. The ability to capitalize on the strengths of distributed teams is in project management.

   As distributed teams continue to evolve in the workplace and for companies, it is extremely important to select the right tools to ensure a project is completed successfully. Project managers should utilize tools that provide visibility for the entire team, provide clear structure for projects, embrace an agile or waterfall methodology, and those that encourage collaboration.

   This can be through one suite of tools or two tools that provide project management and collaboration. I recommend the use of newer SaaS tools allowing all project team members to participate, provide feedback, and work towards successful projects.

   Ray McKenzie, CSM, is Founder and Principal of Red Beach Advisors, a management and business consultant group.

   ---

   Cristian Rennella

   

   Focus on decreasing interruptions for your team. Also, aim to have fewer goals. Because when you define your goals, remember that the difference is not in quantity but in quality.

   Instead of 5 goals define only 3, the most important. Work on them with dedication and excellence.

   The difference in your work is in the depth that you can give to each topic. That way you will achieve perfection in your profession and success in the long term.

   Eng. Cristian Rennella is the CEO of GOcuotas.

   ---

   Scott Perry

   

   Most of my early career, my main approach to managing my projects could be described as being mostly "administrative" or "coordinating" in nature. My focus was probably too much on things like reporting, data, status meetings, and reaching schedule dates no matter what - sometimes at the expense of quality!

   These things are important, yes. But what I'm finding now - and am more convinced of - is that a key ingredient in being an effective project manager is being an effective leader.

   A good project manager is at his or her core a good leader! They know how to influence, motivate, create and communicate a vision. They have soft skills, can lead up and down, and can adequately manage organizational politics so that their project can advance as planned.

   Scott Perry, PMP, is a project manager based in North Carolina, USA.

   ---

   Joe Pusz

   

   Project managers should be aware of how important soft skills are to ensure a successful career. Often times PMs get caught up in the Agile vs Waterfall debate, or is the schedule perfect, or are all the words spelled correctly in a requirements document.

   All of those are important, but not as much as learning to be an effective communicator, team builder, negotiator, and motivator. To make next year a successful year I'd recommend project managers focus on these soft skills to become better leaders.

   Joe Pusz is President of The PMO Squad, a project management consulting firm. He has 20+ years as a project manager and PMO leader. Find out more or participate in his Veterans mentoring scheme on the website.

   ---

   Leigh Espy

   

   Agile practices are increasing in popularity. Even if your team is not adopting full Agile methodology, there are beneficial Agile practices teams can use.

   The retrospective is an easy one to use to help the team continuously improve. Do this by getting team feedback at various stages on what the team could do better. You can then incorporate any suggested improvements during the project rather than waiting for the information from a "lessons learned" activity at the very end.

   Leigh Espy, PMP, SPC, CSM, is an experienced IT project manager and coach. She is the author of Bad Meetings Happen to Good People: How to Run Meetings That Are Effective, Focused, and Produce Results.

   ---

   Susanne Madsen

   

   More and more project managers are waking up to the fact that projects aren't just about tasks and schedules, but also very much about people. But we still have a long way to go.

   Everyone would like to be part of a high performing team, but too few managers and leaders put in the effort to create one.

   I would encourage all project managers to be more mindful when they form a new project team, to properly engage people in the definition and planning stages and to take the time to explore what they expect of each other in terms of behaviors.

   I would also encourage project managers to be more innovative. The world is developing at an unprecedented speed and to keep up we have to continuously look at how we can improve the products and services we deliver along with the tools and processes we use to deliver them.

   To get better at improving and innovating it is imperative that project managers create a safe environment for the team to express their ideas and that they set time aside for unstructured thinking. If all they value is compliance and control they will kill innovation.

   Susanne Madsen is an internationally recognized project leadership coach, trainer and consultant. She is the author of The Power of Project Leadership and The Project Management Coaching Workbook.

   ---

   Amy Hamilton

   

   Next year will be a year for ethical and authentic leadership for project managers. Recent events in both the United States and the world have shown that scandals and sensationalism doesn't work.

   Project managers will need to not only have expert technical knowledge to include how to build a work breakdown structure or how to calculate earned value management, but soft skills on how to communicate. In IT project management, especially cybersecurity, technical team members are in demand and they know that they don't have to work for an unethical or draconian project manager.

   Emotional intelligence and understanding the needs of team members will be important to keep top quality team members on board. The newest edition of the PMI standards captures the increasing need for communication management for project success.

   Amy Hamilton, PMP, CISM, is the author of The Project Manager: Life is a Project, TEDx speaker and IT project management expert.

   ---

   Sarah Coleman

   

   I would like to see PMs across industry sectors and geographies balancing their technical skills set with the behavioral and social skills set. There is an increasing awareness of the impact and importance of behavioral sciences as part of the design, planning and delivery of projects, programs, portfolios and change.

   I am particularly passionate about the need for project managers to comfortably influence without authority, moving easily around the organization between the C-suite and operational levels as well as across client and supplier organizations. This is a skill and part of the toolkit which every project professional needs in order to be that much more effective.

   Sarah Coleman is founder of Business Evolution and is author of Organizational Change Explained and Project Leadership. She is a Visiting Fellow at Cranfield University.

   ---

   Traci Duez

   

   Project management used to be about DOING. In today's global economy, resources have more options when it comes to employment. These resources want to work for people who are more than task masters. So, then the shift was on to LEADERSHIP.

   Before someone can become a good leader, they must be a good SELF-LEADER. This is more about BEING than DOING. You see, you can't BE a project manager. You can only be a human being who manages projects. The role you play is not the same as the person you are. You can always BE even if you don't always DO the role.

   Traci Duez is a leadership development specialist, author, speaker and the founder of Break Free Consulting. She has over 20 years of experience spanning medical technologist to project manager and executive consultant. She's also the author of Breaking Free: Leading the Way.
   

   ---

   Jonathan Clay

   

   Next year why not make sure you step outside of your comfort zone and do something that scares you every month? If you are scared then it means you are testing yourself.

   You gain new skills and knowledge that will help you to excel in both your professional and personal life. I've been doing this for years and I never fail to be surprised at what I learn.

   Jonathan Clay, PMP, MSP, is a past President of PMI UK Chapter and a project manager in the financial services industry.

   ---

   Linky van der Merwe

   

   For project managers to remain relevant in the world of project complexity, remote teams and continuous change, we would want to be strategic, flexible all-rounders with an ability to do creative thinking. This will come with support from PMO's who can read the current business landscape and who will provide the necessary training to develop all project support personnel to support all types of projects.

   The need for Lean thinking and developing an Agile mindset supporting the Agile values and principles in the way we work, has increased. With the demand for successful project delivery bigger than ever before, the emphasis has moved to the speed with which value (benefits) can be delivered to Business.

   Although existing technical, leadership and other soft skills will remain relevant, the need for higher emotional intelligence will grow, not only for project leaders, but also for team members to become high performing teams.

   Linky van der Merwe (PMP, PMI-ACP) is a project management consultant with experience in IT projects in various industries for 20 years. As the Founder of Virtual Project Consulting, she collects and shares project success stories from experienced project practitioners and she recommends comprehensive PM resources to help develop aspiring and existing project professionals.

   ---

   Todd Williams

   

   I am continually amazed at how many people refuse to be accountable.

   To be sure, I am not simply talking to project managers. This is an issue with executives as much as with people in the immediate project team. Being accountable is not synonymous with a target for blame. Accountability entails making and delegate decisions. Accountability cannot be delegated; that is called scapegoating.

   We teach our teams to be accountable by being accountable ourselves and holding our team members to being accountable to themselves. Breeding accountability in our superiors requires the same, but also takes the fortitude to hold superiors accountable through their peers and your relentless accounting of decisions. Regardless, it starts with you.

   Todd C. Williams, PMP, is the author of Filling Execution Gaps and Rescue the Problem Project. He is an executive consultant with three decades of experience helping organizations connect strategy to successful projects.

   ---

   Gary Lloyd

   

   When projects get tough, it's relationships not processes that make the difference between success and failure. Processes can break down under pressure and you need to be able to have honest conversations with stakeholders and team members.

   I have two pieces of simple advice that can help you build great relationships and have those difficult conversations.

   The first piece of advice is to remember that: it's not what you say, it's what people hear.

   What people hear depends on their story about you and way the world works. They have a different mental model of the world and a bundle of beliefs about you and your intention. So pause before you speak or write. Consider what the other person will hear or read, given their assumptions and beliefs.

   That leads me on to the second, related piece of advice. Before you speak or write, ask yourself: will it help? Think like a gardener, not a mechanic.
   

   Project managers tend to be an analytical bunch. We have a touching belief that the facts will speak for themselves. This can make it tempting set others straight, to point out a mistake, or lay blame.

   Gary Lloyd has been leading IT enabled change for over 20 years, in banking and financial markets. He is also on the executive coaching panel for Warwick Business School, a steering committee member of the School's mentoring program.

   ---

   Phew! What an amazing range of perspectives! (And thank you, for making it to the end!)

   

   A version of this article first appeared in 2020.

   This article first appeared on Rebel's Guide to Project Management and can be read here: How To Make 2026 A Successful Year for Your Projects