In an Agile environment, the role of a Project Manager often comes into question. Is a Project Manager still necessary? Should Project Managers transition to become Scrum Masters? The answer isn’t straightforward – it depends on various factors.
Throughout my career, I’ve observed many companies transitioning their Project Managers to Scrum Masters during Agile transformations. This often involves sending Project Managers to a two-day course and then expecting them to seamlessly assume this new role. Unfortunately, this approach can lead to numerous pitfalls and is one of the main reasons Agile transformations sometimes fail – in my opinion.
Top Considerations for Effective Project Manager Transition
To address these challenges, we need to focus on two key aspects:
- Understanding the True Role of a Scrum Master: You can explore this in detail in our dedicated blog post here.
- Comprehending the Duties of a Project Manager: This is something I cover in my Certified Scrum Master (CSM) classes. During these sessions, participants list the responsibilities of a Project Manager and then discuss how these responsibilities shift in an Agile environment. The results often surprise participants, highlighting a widespread misunderstanding of each Scrum Team member’s accountabilities.
What Does a Project Manager Do?
Here’s a summary of typical Project Manager duties, based on the PMI framework:
- Identifying project goals and scope
- Planning and documenting project tasks
- Ensuring deliverables are completed on time
- Managing all project resources
- Communicating effectively with stakeholders
- Eliminating blockers and potential risks
- Documenting project processes using various management tools
- Ensuring high-quality results and project success
How Do Project Manager Duties Change in Agile?
In an Agile environment, these duties shift as follows:
- Identifying project goals and scope: The Product Owner is accountable for this.
- Planning and documenting project tasks: Both the Product Owner and Developers share this accountability.
- Ensuring deliverables are completed on time: The Product Owner focuses on maximizing the value of the product, while the Scrum Team is accountable for timely delivery.
- Managing all project resources: Agile teams are self-managed.
- Communicating effectively with stakeholders: The Scrum Team handles this collectively.
- Eliminating blockers and potential risks: The Scrum Master takes on this role.
- Documenting project processes using various management tools: The Product Owner manages this.
- Ensuring high-quality results and project success: The Scrum Team is responsible for this.
It’s clear from these shifts that the Product Owner often takes on many of the responsibilities previously held by Project Managers. Therefore, if companies want to reassign Project Managers to a new role with minimal changes, Product Owner might be a more fitting choice than a Scrum Master. However, this transition is not as straightforward as it may seem.
Successfully Transitioning Project Managers to Agile Roles
While the role of a Project Manager may seem redundant in an ideal Agile world, it’s important to understand that Agile transformation is a journey, not a quick fix. Here’s how to navigate this transition successfully:
- Educate Teams on Self-Management: Team members who have been accustomed to traditional management need to learn self-management skills. Managers must also transition to leadership roles that focus on guiding rather than managing people.
- Train Product Owners: Proper training can help Product Owners assume many of the Project Manager’s duties, reducing the need for Project Managers in their traditional role.
- Establish New Ways of Working: Focus on developing new processes and methodologies, rather than just changing titles.
Once these foundational elements are in place, and you find that Project Managers are no longer a critical risk, you can consider transitioning away from traditional Project Manager roles.
What Role Should a Project Manager Play in Agile?
In an ideal Agile setup, Project Managers are not needed. However, Agile is about working with people, not robots. Each team member brings unique skills to the table:
- Product Owners: Some Project Managers naturally possess skills that align well with the Product Owner role.
- Scrum Masters: Other Project Managers may have high emotional intelligence and a knack for working with people, making them suited for the Scrum Master role. Becoming a successful Scrum Master, however, requires more than just a brief course; it involves developing skills in Facilitation, Coaching, Mentoring, and Teaching.
Conclusion
For a successful Agile transformation, companies must avoid automatically converting Project Managers into Scrum Masters. Instead, Project Managers should be evaluated based on their individual skills to determine if they are better suited for the Product Owner or Scrum Master role. Additionally, focusing on upskilling employees in self-management and enhancing Product Owners’ capabilities will significantly contribute to a successful Agile transformation.
Good luck on your journey – do not hesitate to contact us if you need help.
