John De Goes’ blog

I have seen some discussions lately about the project and the product manager’s role in a development team. I feel very close to this one because I have done both. I was a Project Manager before becoming a Product Manager. As such, I have a deep understanding of the differences and similarities between the two, so I’ll explore them in this article.

For context, I have worked with early-stage startups for over 10 years, so my experience is mostly with small teams, many times in scale-up mode, the kind of teams that have team members wearing many hats to fill the voids until a new team member can be added.

The leaders

Both the Project Manager and the Product Manager are leaders of their teams, servant leaders. In other words, they must lead their teams while serving their purpose at the same time.

Project Managers are responsible for keeping the wheels turning daily, identifying and eliminating blocks, organizing requirements and ensuring proper execution, listening to the team and conducting ceremonies that help use that feedback as a transformation driver for the team’s workflows and artifacts, measuring and improving performance, and ultimately, ensuring efficient delivery.

On the other hand, the Product Manager is accountable for representing the audience along with the stakeholder’s interests, defining and communicating the product strategy, championing alignment across the board, defining and communicating product requirements, establishing an organized and prioritized roadmap, and reflecting it in artifacts all team members can consume and understand, providing context to all team members, and above all things, making sure the team is building the right product.

As you can see, both roles complement each other and work together to ensure the team is set for success. Some of these responsibilities may overlap, and building rapport with each other is key to team success.

Leadership levels

As you can see from the previous paragraphs, these two roles work at different levels: The Project Manager is at the operational level while the Product Manager works at the strategic level. Building rapport between the Project Manager and the Product Manager is crucial for the success of the team. By establishing a strong relationship, they can effectively communicate, align their goals, and collaborate on decision-making. This collaboration ensures that the team is working towards the right product and that the operational and strategic levels are in sync, leading to efficient delivery and overall team success.

Even though both work at different levels, they often coincide with each other when the whole team is grouped. Fundamentally, they adhere to each other, foster the same culture and values, motivate the team, and show appreciation for everyone’s contributions.

This difference in levels helps both focus on one side of the coin. On the one hand, the Project Manager can concentrate on the inner workings of the development team. This includes setting goals for team members, evaluating performance, removing blocks, and guaranteeing delivery. On the other hand, the Product Manager can focus on interfacing with adjacent teams to ensure alignment. He can also conduct the necessary experiments to ensure the product is right for the audience’s needs.

Conclusion

Ideally, all teams should have both profiles, to ensure an effective tandem that provides the most favorable conditions for success. However, on small teams, it’s likely to see just one or the other taking all responsibility. When this is the case, consider how the team members surrounding this profile may help. Can someone represent the product? Is there a seasoned technical lead that can manage the project? Whatever the case, remember that not all Project Managers have Product Management skills, while most Product Managers should be able to manage a project. Having only one profile in small teams can present challenges. Without a dedicated Product Manager, there may be a lack of strategic direction and a focus solely on operational tasks. Conversely, without a Project Manager, there may be a lack of structure, goal-setting, and accountability. Team members need to step up and fill in the gaps, but ultimately, having both roles ensures a balanced approach and increases the chances of success.