In-Person Training or Online Learning: Which is Right for You?

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The method you use to attend a training course can have a big impact on your learning experience and outcomes.

At Project Plus, we offer both in-person and online self-paced training options for many of our courses.

While both delivery methods cover the same core content and lead to the same certification, the experience of how you learn differs.

Finding which format is best for you will depend on identifying your best learning style, schedule, and goals.

 

In Person Training

In-person training offers a structured, classroom-based learning experience with face-to-face trainer support and peer interaction.

Key Benefits

Participants benefit from direct access to an experienced trainer throughout the course, allowing immediate answers to questions about the course material or specific challenges drawn from their own industry experience. The classroom environment provides a structured and focused learning space with fewer distractions, helping participants stay engaged and on track.

In-person training also provides opportunities to deepen understanding through real-world examples shared by both the trainer and fellow participants. The interactive nature of the classroom encourages discussion and networking with other professionals, exposing learners to different industries, roles, and workplace perspectives. A clear learning schedule helps maintain momentum and accountability throughout the course.

Considerations

In-person training requires attendance on fixed course dates and at specific locations, which may involve travel for learners outside Auckland or Wellington.

The structured nature of classroom learning also means there is less flexibility to adjust the pace to individual preferences, as participants progress through the course together. In addition, classroom-based delivery typically comes at a higher cost than online self-paced training due to the resources and trainer involvement required.

Online Self-Paced Training

Self-paced training provides the flexibility to learn when and where it suits you, allowing you to study from home and fit your training around the demands of your schedule.

Key Benefits

Participants can work through course materials at a pace that suits their individual learning needs, spending additional time on more complex topics while moving more efficiently through content they are already familiar with.

Extended access to course content for up to 12 months, provides ongoing revision opportunities throughout the learning period. Practice exams can also be completed multiple times, helping learners build confidence ahead of their final assessment. With no travel or accommodation requirements and lower course fees than classroom-based options, self-paced training is often a more cost-effective choice. It also supports those balancing study alongside work, family, and other commitments.

Considerations

Online self-paced learning requires a strong level of self-motivation and discipline, as learners are responsible for managing their own study progress and maintaining momentum throughout the course.

There is no direct access to trainers and no networking with other learners, as the course is completed independently. Questions may take longer to resolve compared to a classroom environment.

Successful participation also depends on access to reliable technology and a stable internet connection, particularly when completing online assessments and practice exams.

Which Option Should You Choose?

In-Person Training if you:

  • Learn best through discussion and interaction
  • Prefer a structured, scheduled learning environment
  • Value immediate trainer support
  • Enjoy networking with other professionals
  • Want a focused learning space away from distractions

Online Self-Paced Training if you:

  • Need flexibility around work or personal commitments
  • Prefer to learn independently
  • Want to study at your own pace
  • Benefit from revisiting material multiple times
  • Are comfortable managing your own study schedule

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to learning. Choosing the format that best aligns with your learning style and lifestyle will give you the best chance of success.

Delivery Maturity, Data Visibility and AI Continue to Shape Demand Across New Zealand

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Over the past 12 months, we have observed several emerging trends influencing project delivery, business transformation, and organisational capability across New Zealand.

One area receiving increased attention is delivery maturity and governance. Organisations are seeking greater visibility of how projects, programmes, and portfolios are performing, while ensuring investment decisions are aligned to strategic objectives. This has led to growing interest in P3M3® maturity assessments, governance reviews, and capability uplift initiatives designed to strengthen decision-making, accountability, risk management, benefits realisation, and overall delivery performance.

We have seen organisations increasingly look beyond individual project success and instead focus on the maturity of their project, programme, portfolio, and PMO environments. By understanding current capability levels and identifying opportunities for improvement, organisations are better positioned to deliver strategic outcomes and maximise the value of their investments.

There has also been increased demand for flexible capability models such as Business Analysis as a Service (BAaaS) and Project Delivery as a Service (PDaaS). Rather than building large permanent teams, many organisations are accessing specialist expertise as required, allowing them to respond more effectively to changing priorities, project workloads, and transformation initiatives.

Another trend is the growing need for Business Intelligence and data specialists to support reporting modernisation and data transformation projects. Many organisations continue to rely heavily on spreadsheet-based reporting and manual processes, creating challenges around efficiency, consistency, and visibility. As a result, there is increasing demand for professionals who can automate reporting, improve data quality, and develop dashboards that provide meaningful insights to decision-makers.

The growing interest in AI, automation, and data-driven decision making is also influencing project demand. Organisations are increasingly exploring how AI tools can support reporting, business analysis, knowledge management, service delivery, and operational efficiency. At the same time, many are reviewing governance frameworks, risk management practices, and organisational policies to ensure emerging technologies can be adopted safely, responsibly, and in alignment with business objectives.

These trends reflect a broader focus on improving organisational capability, increasing efficiency, and delivering measurable outcomes. As organisations continue to navigate evolving technology, workforce, and economic challenges, the demand for strong project delivery, business analysis, governance, data, and transformation capability is expected to remain a key priority throughout 2026.

Waterfall to Agile = Hybrid. What goes wrong? Is it wrong?

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The buzz of Agile has resulted in some really good outcomes for companies but then there are those who land up with a lot of frustrations and models which just don’t provide adequate ROI.

There are a lot of opinions of why a transformation is unsuccessful, some common causes, I have come across are:

  1. Lack of Management and executive buy in
  2. Company culture not cohesive to Agile
  3. People are not willing to change
  4. Lack of understanding of Agile
  5. Lack of pre investigation or analysis
  6. Balance of incremental to radical change

There are other possible reasons, however I would like to share on some of these points for now and happy to discuss further points.

1. Lack of Management and executive buy in

If your leaders don’t believe in change, then how are you supposed to?

There are situations where management and executives are accustomed to certain processes, they’re known and “safe”.

However they not always the most efficient. If leaders are not willing to adapt to change, they will push their own interests and hinder adoption.

This hindering may cause organisations to become hybrid, as some areas will be Agile and others Waterfall.

Solution:

Early Change Management: Bring external Change Managers who are familiar with Agile transformation and have experience in Executive and Management engagements.

I would not recommend an internal Change Manager – Executives and Senior Managers might sway the pendulum to favour their way.

An external Change Manager will be neutral, objective and steadfast in their discussions.

Early adoption, benefits realisation, addressing concerns and so forth are important at senior level as this will drive the transformation more effectively.

2. Company culture not cohesive to Agile

Many organisations hear how successful companies who have gone Agile are doing. They see how responsive the other organisations are, flexible and able to meet demands more timely.

They believe they need to go Agile to keep up with the competition, however their company has for many years been built around strict processes, rigid ways and the peoples culture has adapted to this way.

Now you trying to turn the culture of an organisation from rigid to flexible, strict processes to innovative, authoritarian to empowerment and individual to team.

If your culture is not cohesive to Agile, this is where you need to drive Change before you start stirring the pot.

Solution:

External and Internal Change Managers who have a strong Agile transformation background, if internal don’t have the skills then training is required.

Once Internal Change Managers are able to take over the change then they need to create an open dialogue and training across the organisation.

3. People are not willing to change

Not everyone can so easily adapt to certain changes. They will not conform and will hinder the progress.

There will be those who adapt easily, those who need additional clarity and those who just won’t change.

Solution:

Transparency, communication, constant updates, training and other strategies can be utilised to convince people that this change is good for the future of the business.

There will be those who just won’t change after all efforts have been tried.

This is where tough decisions will need to be made, if the company is changing and you cannot change with it, then the company is longer suited for you – move on.

4. Lack of understanding of Agile

With many companies, they believe moving to a complete Agile methodology will improve their business, however in certain situations, it might actually be negative.

No two companies are the same, so there is no set formulae to Agile transformations. There are guidelines, but each transformation needs to customised.

Some organisations might need to be hybrid, others don’t need to change and so forth.

Solution:

Before you think of going down the road of an Agile transformation, make sure you analysis your business thoroughly and completely understand what being Agile means.

Have independent reviews of your business, and open this across all experts of the business. These open discussions and with an independent review will shape the transformation.

5. Lack of pre investigation or analysis

Many companies take short cuts and make decisions hastily. These decisions may cause severe consequences down the line and lead to undesired outcomes.

Solution:

Spend time and resources investigating and analysis your business, get professional external help before decisions are made, don’t rush and rather be clear of the tasks at hand.

Refer to points 1-4, which all speak to pre investigations

6. Balance of incremental to radical change

Many companies go full throttle into their change, trying to quickly and cost effectively change the entire business. This is not recommended and is very risky.

The chances of failure are high, which in turn will increase costs and cause massive delays. Sometimes the complete scrapping and redoes are the results.

Solution:

Incremental changes are less risky and are more favoured.

Because of your proactive pre investigations you are able to identify areas/ services where an easy transformation can occur.

Start with these services and build onto them. Use lessons learned to improve the next.

This also makes it easier to concentrate resources and not spread too thin.

Keep building on and continue this throughout the organisation.

Another benefit is the success of the one division can help with convincing the change to other divisions, the buy ins will be more easily attained, as results speak louder than words.

Once comfortable and you have a sound knowledge of this change, the more radical you can become.

I would be interested in hearing more about your challenges and accomplishments, so please do share a comment or email me at chris.kourie@alphajobs.co.nz

Christopher Kourie
Senior IT Consultant

This is a Project Plus community blog post. The opinions represented are personal and solely belong to the author.