Scrum framework team has 3 accountabilities: Product Owner, Scrum Master and Developers. In Scrum, there is no formal role of “Project Manager,” but a Project Manager can still play a supportive role for a Scrum team in the following ways:
1. Transition Support:
If the organization is transitioning from traditional project management to Scrum, a Project Manager can facilitate this by helping with:
- Understanding the Scrum framework.
- Assisting the Scrum Master and Product Owner in adopting Scrum practices.
- Encouraging the team to embrace self-management and cross-functionality.
2. Removing Organizational Impediments:
A Project Manager may assist the Scrum Master by removing organizational impediments that impact the Scrum team but fall outside the team’s control. For example:
- Ensuring necessary resources are available.
- Helping align other departments or teams with the Scrum approach.
- Managing external dependencies that the Scrum team cannot directly influence.
3. Stakeholder Communication:
Project Managers often have established relationships with stakeholders. They can help the Product Owner by:
- Facilitating communication between the Scrum team and external stakeholders.
- Helping stakeholders understand Scrum processes and the importance of delivering small, usable increments.
4. Risk Management and Governance:
While Scrum focuses on delivering value through iterative, incremental progress, a Project Manager can provide insights on:
- Risk management strategies that align with Scrum’s empirical process.
- Governance requirements that might be necessary for the larger organization, without interfering with the Scrum team’s autonomy.
5. Encouraging a Collaborative Environment:
Project Managers can support the Scrum team by promoting collaboration across the organization, ensuring that departments like finance, legal, or operations are aligned with the Scrum way of working.
6. Support the Scrum Master:
The Project Manager can work closely with the Scrum Master, ensuring they have the necessary authority and support to remove barriers and foster the right environment for the Scrum team to succeed.
In these supportive roles, the Project Manager should avoid taking over responsibilities that belong to the Scrum roles (Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Developers). Instead, they should focus on helping the organization and Scrum team create a productive environment.
7. Facilitating Communication and Removing Barriers
- Help manage external dependencies: Project managers can coordinate with external stakeholders, departments, or vendors to ensure that the Scrum team has everything they need.
- Shield the team from external disruptions: A project manager can handle organizational politics or demands from outside the Scrum team, allowing the team to focus on delivering increments of work.
- Facilitate stakeholder communication: Help the Product Owner manage expectations by communicating status updates to stakeholders.
8. Resource Management support
- Ensure resource availability: A project manager can ensure that the team has access to necessary tools, equipment, and external resources.
- Hiring and staffing: Support the team in acquiring new members when needed, helping to ensure the team has the right skills for the project.
9. Providing Support for Agile Tools and Practices
- Help implement and maintain Agile tools: Project managers can assist in ensuring the team has the necessary Agile project management tools like Jira, Confluence, etc.
- Support continuous improvement: While the Scrum Master focuses on team improvements, the project manager can encourage organizational improvements to make Agile adoption smoother.
10. Coordinating with the Product Owner
- Help with release planning and roadmaps: A project manager can assist the Product Owner in managing the product roadmap, aligning team deliveries with business timelines.
- Risk and stakeholder management: Provide support in identifying project risks and communicating potential impacts with the Product Owner and other key stakeholders.
11. Aligning Scrum Teams with Broader Organizational Goals
- Ensure alignment with strategic objectives: A project manager can help align the Scrum team’s goals with organizational priorities and ensure they’re working toward key business outcomes.
- Cross-team coordination: For organizations using multiple Scrum teams, a project manager can help synchronize dependencies between teams and ensure smooth collaboration in large-scale projects.
12. Financial Oversight and Reporting
- Manage budgets and financials: A project manager can oversee the budget for Scrum projects, ensuring that resources are used efficiently and aligning with financial constraints.
- Track progress: Provide overall reporting on the team’s progress at the program or portfolio level without interfering with the team’s internal Scrum processes.
13. Mentorship and Professional Development
- Support team development: Help Scrum team members in finding opportunities for skill development, training, or mentorship.
- Provide career growth guidance: Since Scrum roles like Scrum Master or Developer might not have defined career paths in some organizations, project managers can help team members align with the company’s broader HR processes.
So, without taking control into the hands, without going into supervising mode, a project manager can support Scrum Teams and enable Scrum teams to remain focused on delivering value while ensuring organizational alignment and success.
Attend our Certified Scrum Master CSM online course in Hyderabad to get more practical insights of Scrum Master and understand how a project manager can transform into a Scrum Master through unlearning and relearning the required knowledge. Our Advanced Certified Scrum Master (A-CSM) also helps you understand the Scrum Master role with hands-on activities.