Can A Project Manager Be An Effective Scrum Master
                     Can A Project Manager Be An Effective Scrum 
 Master?
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We have frequently seen the titles of Project Manager and Scrum Master used mutually  
and reciprocally in the agile approach. Both of their roles are likely to get unclear in the  
current work and business environments. A Project Manager is the person who is  
directly liable for delivering a project in a specified timeframe and on a predefined  
financial plan and the final results of a projects success or failure depends mainly on the  
project manager’s potential and tasks such as sprint planning. Scrum Master is the  
forefront of the project's team performance as he facilitates coaching and assisting the  
project’s progress based on the end user requirements. Both the roles sometimes  
overlap in the agile process as both contribute to the execution, planning, and closing of  
projects.
The Project Manager and Scrum Master both require a specific set of skills and the right  
approach to make things work transversely and altogether agile teams. The deliverables,  
responsibilities and tasks of both may differ from one business to another. It is essential  
to point out that both roles are very important to guide the team and to guarantee project  
achievement.
Transitioning from the role of Project Manager to Scrum Master and vice-versa is  
possible but can’t be attained immediately. It can be a tough journey but has its own  
perks. Both positions have a necessity of an in-depth understanding of diverse aspects  
of the business with short, as well as long-term goals, and one needs to have a great  
deal of attention and determination to deliver the crucial goals.
Introduction: What does a project manager do and what 
 are PMs Responsibilities?
If you are going for a Project Management Certification, PMI – Agile Certified Practitioner  
(PMI-ACP) course, then let’s see what a project manager does and what it takes to  
become a good project manager. A Project Manager is the person who is directly liable  
for delivering a project in a specified timeframe and on a predefined financial plan. So, to  
be a good project manager you will need to be an expert planner, with the right set of  
skills for organizing resources and people. All of the business partners or project’s  
stakeholders will look up to you (PMs), to make sure what was assured is in fact  
delivered in a timely and economical manner.
Project managers are responsible for day to day management tasks of the project and  
must be capable in managing the important criteria of a project, i.e. finance, schedule,  
scope, risk, resources and quality. Project managers work on particular projects that  
have specific outcomes which have timely and monetary limits.
Project manager’s duties mainly include but are not limited to:
 Handling and modifying the project as and when necessary.
 Monitoring the risks involved in a specific project and managing them.
 Making certain the work is done to the right standard and quality.
 Planning what needs to be done, prioritizing it and who is going to do it.
 Taking care of coordination between teams.
 Motivating the team.
 Making sure the project is running in a timely and monetary way.
 Making certain the project delivers the expected outcomes as projected.
How do Managers get involved in Agile Projects?
Both product owners and product managers are key players in the Agile environment,  
and are often crucial to the success of deployment. The purpose of product  
management is to work closely with product development and deal with the product
requirements and direction based on customer feedback, market research, and growth  
ability. Product managers are often obscured in project management tasks associated  
with product launching rather than interacting with market influencers and customers to  
make the most viable product.
In the world of Agile development, there are supplementary roles which help to shift  
product managers out of the technical, tactical activities and into an outward-facing  
position where they interact and relate with the market. Though, it is not uncommon for  
product managers to take on the product owner’s task.
Agile product manager’s objective is to work with customers and company headship to  
define the product course. He (PMs) is responsible for representing the true voice of the  
customer. The best way to fully understand the customer’s problem(s) is to talk to  
customers, visit their sites, know their day to day business experience, and consult with  
their staff. By practicing this, a product manager will understand the customer’s day-to-  
today struggles and will be able to identify features and functionality that will improve  
user experience. Without direct interaction with customers, it is not possible to  
completely understand a customer’s needs and struggles.
In addition, a product manager’s responsibility varies from strategic activities, such as  
defining the product roadmap in arrangement with business objectives, to tactical  
actions that take place in sales, product support and marketing.
Scrum Master vs. Project Manager — what are the 
 differences between them?
In Scrum, the most admired Agile methodology, the Scrum master is above all  
responsible for keeping the Scrum team focused and motivated, and also safeguards  
them from distractions and provides instruction and guidance. The product manager is  
responsible for creating and defining the user stories based on customer struggles,  
developing the product roadmap and carrying out market research. Here are some major  
differences:
 Project manager manages the projects – scope, timeline and cost, in general  
quality of the project. A scrum master manages each scrum to reach the project  
goals.
 A project manager can manage various projects at a time. A scrum master is  
generally paying attention to a specific project team.
 Scrum master motivates the team members, assists in scrum meetings and 
sprint
planning. Project manager manages the financial plan and analyzes risk  
management.
 Project managers focus on process and assign tasks to the team  
members. Scrum master assists to develop team dynamics and acts as a  
servant leader if needed by the project.
 Scrum master is the facilitator and guides the product owner on the other hand  
project manager is a communicator between the team members and the  
management team.
 Project manager updates the management about the project progress and  
coordinates with other teams. Scrum master helps in increasing the team  
bonding and motivates the team members.
Conclusion: Can an experienced Project Manager be an 
 effective Scrum Master?
Every Agile organization is not the same and as a result, roles will differ. It is not unusual  
for an organization transitioning from Waterfall to Agile to simply change product  
managers to product owners. Though, this does not show a good product manager will  
become a good product owner or vice versa. Relatively, what works for one business  
may or may not work for another and it is probable that as the business and product  
grows, the tasks and duties will as well.
The project manager and the scrum master are not two separate entities. The role of a  
project manager develops as a scrum master. The objective of a project manager is to  
complete a project fruitfully within a predefined timeframe and budget. With the  
introduction of the agile method, the involvement of a project manager increases.
In agile project management, the division of the roles and responsibilities are person  
specific. So, the role of a project manager as a scrum master is now more firm, precise,  
and to the point. In an agile methodology, the emphasis of a project manager is not  
limited to the entire project but as a scrum master, it is; every scrum that needs to be  
successful. This new point of view makes it more meticulous and qualitative to achieve
success.