Here's how you can resolve conflicts between product managers and developers.

A daily or weekly stand-up or meeting across teams is very crucial, it's all about communication and collaboration across stakeholders. As the thought process of a product manager & developer is diff, you need to align it example a feature can be super important in terms of getting clients but maybe not look important to a developer- so as a product manger you need to communicate and bring him to same page.

Developers and product managers are allies, not rivals. The "what" and "why" of a product are the emphasis of product managers, whereas developers work on the "how." Preventing conflicts requires an understanding of these diverse responsibilities. Teams that collaborate well and are aware of one another's viewpoints can create products that effectively address the needs of users and businesses.

As a professional who has been both a software developer and a product manager, I say that understanding the boundaries of the roles is very essential. A product manager might think that a said task is not that time consuming as the developer is saying but they do not at times have the complete context. Similarly, a software engineer might not realise why a particular feature is taking a long time for release, and that is alright, the KPIs of the engineer are around the engineering bits and the KPIs of the PM are around the delivery.

Resolving conflicts between product managers and developers is all about communication and collaboration. Start by getting everyone together to discuss their viewpoints and find common ground. Regular check-ins can help keep everyone aligned on goals and expectations. Use data and user feedback to guide decisions, making sure both teams are working towards the same vision. Embrace tools that improve teamwork and make processes smoother. Encourage an open, feedback-friendly culture where everyone feels heard.

Yes, understanding roles is crucial for resolving conflicts effectively. As a product manager, your focus is on defining the 'what' and 'why' behind product decisions, driven by market needs, customer feedback, and business goals. Developers, in contrast, handle the 'how'—implementing the vision through technical solutions. Recognizing these complementary roles helps each party appreciate the other's perspective, fostering more productive discussions and mutual respect for expertise. For example, clarifying these roles in team meetings encouraged collaboration, resulting in smoother project executions and enhanced product outcomes.

Once the division of the roles is understood, the two parties still want to understand the other party's deliverables because that affects their own projects. As a developer, I always wanted to know the "why" of the feature that I was building and that is something that I have fostered as a product manager, where I make sure that the developers understand the impact of their work.

A proper daily stand-up is best for this. Frequency-wise, it catches things early vs. waiting a week or two for the sprint planning or retrospective. And putting on my CSM hat, everyone has one minute to speak without interruption or rebuttals, which fosters brevity and honesty. If things spill into parking lot, a good facilitator will be actively listening, and put long back-and-forth conversations offline with only the necessary people.

The Calendar Year planning and quarterly plannings are important, but a lot of times these are uni-directional with the engineering team just giving their own estimates, without the Product team giving out the company goals. Having a transparent scoring of priorities can help all the parties have a better view of the development process.

Priority setting is the systematic process of selecting which tasks, goals, or projects are critical and require immediate attention. By carefully considering aspects such as urgency, impact, and available resources, you may effectively manage time, energy, and effort to maximize results. This strategic approach helps individuals, teams, and organizations focus on what is genuinely important, resulting in enhanced productivity, better decision-making, and overall success.

A lot of times, ad-hoc requirements and expectation mismatches are bound to happen to take your roadmap off the course. The first idea is to budget for these already in the planning phase, but when that also goes for a toss then you need to take the call on what is your P0 deliverable. But while that happens, you also need to understand the cause of the mishap and figure out how this does not get repeated. RCAs of the situation and SOPs for the exact condition are the ways to go!

Encouraging a mindset of continuous learning and improvement can help mitigate conflicts. Regular retrospectives, where teams reflect on what went well and what can be improved, provide opportunities for addressing underlying issues before they escalate. This iterative approach to process improvement aligns with agile methodologies, which both product managers and developers often employ. The best teams are those that continually learn and adapt.

Building a culture of trust and respect is fundamental in resolving conflicts. Both product managers and developers should value each other’s expertise and contributions. Trust is built through consistent, transparent communication and a mutual respect for the challenges each side faces. This cultural foundation supports more effective collaboration and conflict resolution. It is the cornerstone of high-performing product teams.

Let each side air their concerns and really listen to understand where they're coming from. Focus on shared goals, like creating an awesome product that users will love. Encourage both sides to be flexible and find a middle ground that balances product needs and technical realities. Make sure everyone knows their role to avoid confusion. Keep the lines of communication open with regular check-ins to catch any new issues early. This way, you build a team vibe and smooth out conflicts more easily.