The Importance of Product Program and Delivery Management for High-Performing Teams

Note: This article assumes a foundational understanding of Product Software Development. The job function addressed in this article is the Delivery Management team, which includes the Delivery Managers and Program Managers assigned to support Product Teams.

The evolution of Product Program and Delivery Management has been a journey marked by transformation, growth, and at times, a frustrating lack of understanding. I’ve had the privilege of witnessing this evolution firsthand, and it has been nothing short of inspiring. But it has also been challenging, especially as I see the value of these roles being questioned in ways that threaten the very efficiency and innovation they were designed to support.

In 2015, I established the first Product Delivery Management Team for a new Product Organization at a large Fortune 500 company. At that time, there wasn’t much guidance on how to build such a team—Marty Cagan’s book Inspired offered just a single page on the topic. But we knew we didn’t want to create a team of traditional project managers or individuals who saw themselves as solely scrum masters. We needed problem solvers, obstacle removers, and individuals who could navigate the intersection of Technical Program Management, Agile Coaching, and passionate Product Practice Evangelism.

What emerged was a team renowned across the enterprise for its excellence in improving processes, solving complex problems, and fostering a strong product culture. Our engagement survey results were some of the highest in the company, and we had people from all over applying to be part of the team, eager to learn how to become Product Delivery Managers. As a leader, it was imperative to instill strong values and skills within the team, creating a foundation that would support not just our products but the people behind it.

Unfortunately, in recent years, the importance of these roles has been minimized. An influx of undertrained scrum masters, agile coaches, and consultancy project managers have flooded the market, diluting the value of what we worked so hard to establish. With little information on how to scale these roles effectively and only a few of us leading this practice successfully in the US, the Product Program and Delivery Managers have come under scrutiny.? Companies are making a grave mistake by underestimating the critical importance, value, and continued impact these positions bring.

In my 15+ year career in software development and technical program management, I’ve seen the immense impact these roles can have. They are the glue of a team, handling the technical side of software development through dependency management, risk mitigation, and organizational alignment. But beyond that, they are the ones willing to fill in where others might feel burdened. Great Product Program and Delivery Managers understand that building a strong culture and team dynamic is one of the most important parts of their job. High-performing teams aren’t just a group of individuals staying in their lanes; they work together to solve hard problems, believing in skills over roles.

A high-performance product team excels in understanding customer needs and turning those insights into experiences that users love and that drive business results. These teams collaborate seamlessly across design, engineering, marketing, and other departments to build cohesive, compelling products. They tackle complex technical challenges, ensuring solutions meet both immediate needs and long-term goals. Central to this success are the Product Program and Delivery Managers, who sits at the epicenter of these activities, coordinating efforts and ensuring that innovation, practicality, and value are balanced at every stage.?

When companies remove these critical roles, they place additional burdens on Product Managers and Engineers, diluting their bandwidth and reducing the time they have to focus on driving outcomes. The result is less effective discovery, weaker iterative product delivery practices, and, ultimately, a decline in product quality and team engagement. While not every company, particularly early-stage startups, can afford to have a Program or Delivery Manager, these roles are essential for scaling effectively.

The industry has been plagued over the last two years with the elimination of these critical roles, under the assumption that product teams have evolved enough to embed program management and agile practices into their culture, rendering a dedicated role to guide them supposedly unnecessary. However, many of these teams are not fully ready for such a shift, and there has been little to no effort to identify, up-skill, or reorient potential Delivery and Program Managers who could bridge this gap. Investing in Program and Delivery Managers, training them, and assessing them for key attributes like problem-solving, strategic thinking, stakeholder alignment, and technical knowledge will lead to stronger product teams, programs, and initiatives. This approach results in more focused, predictable, and higher-value outcomes, keeping teams engaged and happy. If it helps us acknowledge their true value, let's rename them Technical Program Managers, as this title accurately reflects a portion of their responsibilities and is widely known in the industry.

While not everyone will make the transition, we owe it to those who have built high-performing teams to help them adapt. The best leaders care about outcomes, value their people, and understand that the highest-performing teams are built on diverse backgrounds, skill sets, and strengths.?

As we move forward, it’s imperative that we don’t lose sight of the value these roles bring. We must continue to evolve, invest in, and recognize that without them, we risk losing the essence of what makes a strong Product Team. The future of product software delivery depends on it.

Want to chat more? Have a different opinion? Feel free to reach out to me.