What is the role of the project manager and more ...
Mounir Ajam
Advisor, Innovator, Author, and Speaker | Supporting organizations Bridge Vision to Achievements | Creator of the Uruk Platform
We have been seeing many posts comparing #manager to #leaders and most of those are nonsense. We indirectly address those comparisons in this video.
In the last week, we have seen at least a couple of posts on the role of the project manager and in both cases, those posts were totally misleading; for various reasons. For example, in the post we saw today, it was comparing a PM to a Scrum Master; obviously, the indirect message is promoting Scrum.
So what is the role of the project manager?
It is quite simple.
Here is the 30-second version.
- The PM (Project Manager) is the person leading the PMT (Project Management Team),
- The PM and the PMT manage the rest of the teams (yes teams because typically there is more than one team).
- Therefore, the PM, PMT, and Technical Teams will work together to take a project from concept to closure (#C2C) and stage by stage.
For those tiny, small, micro projects, we might not need a PMT; or in this case the PMT is limited to the PM. Therefore, the PM might have to do some of the project management actions, like estimating or scheduling. However, the PM is leading/managing whereas the team is doing the technical work.
Now how do we compare a scrum master to a PM?
In mature organizations that know the value of project management, a scrum master must report to a PM. In other words, the scrum master is a team leader reporting to the PM and help the PM during the development PHASE of the project. If one compare a Scrum Master to a PM, in my blunt but professional opinion, this person does not understand the role of a PM or the value of project management.
(rent starts: in this case, the person is a chapter officer for the organization that is disguised as a not-for-profit organization.)
Maybe we need to say more on this later, but in the meantime, check this 12-min video presentation.
In closing,
Please do not post topics with certainties, and do not take our post with certainty either. Why? Because the best answer in project management must always start with "It Depends."
Organizational Change | Business Process Improvements Specialist
5 年Thank you for the "It depends" perspective! So many times I'm asked a theoretical question with no context and when I start with 'it depends' or 'in my experience' the looks of disdain or arrogance is...annoying, at a minimum (for lack of a PC alternative)
Program Manager at United Airlines
6 年I am reading this article, I cannot believe what I am reading.... Finally some word of truth!!! So tired to see PMs being compared with Scrum Masters. I agree, SM needs to be seen more as a team coordinator than anything else. And all this Scrum marketing might work with small teams. Yet to see it working on bigger endeavors. Thanks for this post.