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Project manager vs Product owner

Last post 08:39 pm September 30, 2022 by Daniel Wilhite
5 replies
03:28 pm April 20, 2018

Hi,

I've been searching the web for PM vs PO to explain the roles.

I'm reading this like

    Project Managers thrive in pre-planned, organized systems, while Product Owners work best in constantly changing environments.

    or

    A Project Manager needs more of organizational skills, while a Product Owner needs more of communication skills but they share many qualities.

 

But from what I'm reading is sounds like if I'm a project manager using Agile / Scrum / User stories and task then i'm a Product owner really ? Is this correct.

I'm find it hard to distinguish one from the other - only that a PM is looking at the projects are a waterfall and not as Agile

If i'm hired as a Project Manager and asked to follow Agile / Scrum frameworks am I really a Project Manager ?

 

Thanks.


08:05 am April 21, 2018

There's no such thing as a project manager in Scrum. So if a company is using Scrum, I would challenge them to tell you which of the three roles you will have in the Scrum Team, and what the company expects you to do in that role.

If a company doesn't know what it's doing with Scrum (or worse IMO, why it is using Scrum), you probably won't get a clear answer. You might be given an answer that sounds like a combination of Scrum Master, Product Owner and some extra things that are nothing to do with Scrum. In that case, I would probably avoid such a company


04:00 pm April 21, 2018

I'm find it hard to distinguish one from the other - only that a PM is looking at the projects are a waterfall and not as Agile

That difference alone could be more significant and substantial than you might think.


11:22 am April 23, 2018

On the PMI-ACP exam and PMI Agile Practice Guide, 

team facilitator = servant leader, project manager, scrum master, project team lead, team coach.

It seems to me that traditional "project manager" is mapped closer to scrum master (rather than product owner).


04:00 pm September 30, 2022

I get so many different opinions about Project Management in Scrum. Does Scrum believes or have Project Manager in Scrum world?


08:39 pm September 30, 2022

The Scrum Guide describes 3 responsibilities: Product Owner, Scrum Master, Developer. None of those responsibilities would considered a project manager.  

In Scrum every Sprint is considered a project.  This sentence isin the Scrum Guide section that describes the Sprint.

 Each Sprint may be considered a short project.

But "normal" project management practices are not used in Scrum.  Each Sprint is focused on delivering value that satisfies the Sprint Goal.  And each Sprint will deliver increment(s) of progress towards a Product Goal. 

I suggest that you read the Scrum Guide and form your own opinions rather than just taking the word of others.  There is a lot of misunderstanding circulating about Scrum.  There are also many publications, blogs, articles that have their author's opinions which may not represent the true intention of Scrum.  The Scrum Guide I linked you to is the definitive source of information for Scrum.  It is free to all.  


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