[VLOG] What Are the Differences Between Project Manager and Scrum Master

I can give some feedback on the First Question, since I'm transitioning from PM to SM, I got inspired because I made a few small Scrums, and resulted in better experience than old fashion Waterfall, also because because I became tired of not giving the customer what they really wanted, and finally we learned form the experience but no one carried out to the next level the learning it was just left there!

Awesome. Thanks for sharing your motivation @disqus_8ttMuGxsTw:disqus . Many Project Managers also had the same motivation when they transition to be a Scrum Master.

Hello Joshua,
Thanks for an interesting perspective regarding the clear differences between both professions.
I just want to add, as a scholar of both, that the Project Management Institute (PMI®) has come a long way at embracing tailoring approaches and life cycles of Agile, Scrum, Lean, and other new philosophies. PMs do spend time in the Initiation of an endeavor, therefore, she/he needs to be able to align the business needs of a portfolio (including ongoing work). Lastly, PMI® encourages the use of financial KPI’S in the Business Case (NPV, ROI, IRR, PBP) and non-financial benefits such as the satisfaction of customer/end-user adoption of the quality product of value. These apply to fulfill contractual agreements and also in the case of an internal endeavor.

Marco Mongalo, Jr., MSc, CSM, PMI®-CAPM

Thanks for sharing @marcoamongalojr:disqus Good to know PMI is also embracing Scrum. If the project manager uses business/financial metrics as success indicator, does that mean Project Manager is becoming more like Product Owner?

Joshua,

You are asking an excellent question that is best answered by saying that their roles are similar when both use Servant Leadership styles. However, one should be aware of the type of work, the organization's governance, and other environmental factors, to be able to choose the phase gates/iterations (sprints). To me, the actual title is not that important. In these times of disruptive technologies, one can and should wear many hats.What we all are after is a product or service of value.
Regards,

Marco Mongalo, Jr., MSc, CSM, PMI®-CAPM

Hi Joshua, I consider myself a hybrid having learned and lived both roles. In fact, like everything in life, the more skills you learn, the better you can apply each one in the context requiring that skill. I strongly believe that a project management background adds a lot of value to joining an Agile team. Metrics are key in 'seeing' what's happening and realigning processes whether they are Scrum practices or reporting (project management).

Thanks for sharing @disqus_dMaTMX7UZc:disqus. Yes having many skills is good. Some people choose to be a hybrid while others chose to focus and completely transition from a Project Manager to Scrum Master.

What skills from Project Management that you found adds value to Agile teams?

Metrics knowledge, planning experience (Scrum is planning), team motivation (yes, project managers can do that, too), communications (with upper management, peers and groups in general). These serve in many roles and are not restricted to any that I know.

Hi Joshua, thanks for sharing. You give an interesting perspective comparing these two roles as I am a Project Manager and want to become a Scrum Master this year. To answer your first question: what inspires me to become a Scrum Master is the fact that I believe Scrum can give better results because the people in a team bear the responsibility for their own actions and have to learn, think and act for themselves (instead of relying on somebody else, e.g. a Project Manager).
And to answer your second question, I expect a Scrum Master to serve not to command and to listen and ask questions not to tell. But I will know more as I progress into my transition.

I worked as SM but have a PM background.From my experience in both roles I believe that your view on the PM role is rather old-school and narrow. I believe the PM needs to have a lot of facilitation skills for instance. A PM first focus is to get a project done- while a scrum master will focus on getting impediments removed and enable the team to deliver products according a delivery pace, he is not responsible for the team composition, he must take care of the delivery pace of the given team and search for continous improvements to optimise that pace. A PM cannot deliver a project by himself of course, it is the team that delivers, a PM cannot plan without the necessary input the team provides him. The PM must thrive to compose a team that can deliver the project scope (a fixed list of products) in time & budget. It is up to the PM to communicate with the outside world about planning- risks - changes etc.

so the scrum master is like a maestro who creates or recreates a masterpiece of music by directing and enabling a team of people towards a desired goal. nicely and simply explained, kudos.

Thank you @mike_lemire:disqus :)

Hey @paulgeltink:disqus . I am glad you found the video helpful. Usually I facilitate the discussion in my classes. Moving away from command and control is definitely challenging. Get some help from other awesome Scrum Masters to help your journey. Good luck on your journey to become an awesome Scrum Master!

Thank you, Joshua! I have two questions for you too!
It ’s about the diagram you made in your video comparing Project Manager and Scrum Master roles:
1. Regarding scope & accountabilities: Do you think a Project Manager is doing a great job depends on him (or her) keeping the project on-time, on-scope and on-budget? Don’t you think a Project Manager’s core accountability is his responsibility for the project (on a daily basis)?
2. About required skills: What do you mean by (technical) Project Management skills? Don’t you agree that a Project Manager also has to coach, facilitate and teach?

Hey there! Just finished reading your article on the differences between a Project Manager and a Scrum Master, and I wanted to drop a comment to let you know how much I enjoyed it. First off, kudos to you for breaking down this topic in such a clear and concise manner. It's often confusing to understand the distinctions between these roles, and your article really made it crystal clear.

I appreciated how you emphasized the collaborative and adaptable nature of the Scrum Master's role, contrasting it with the more traditional, structured approach of a Project Manager. Your real-world examples helped illustrate the practical implications of these differences. It's evident that you have a deep understanding of both roles, and it made for a highly informative read. I'll definitely be sharing this with my colleagues who are just getting into project management and Scrum. Keep up the great work, and I look forward to reading more of your insights in the future!