Project Manager and Scrum Master are two different roles in two different types of processes used to deliver projects or products. These two roles are not similar in rights, responsibilities, accountabilities, skills and capabilities. Comparing a Project Manager and Scrum Master is just like comparing a Goalkeeper in football with a wicket keeper in cricket. However, people want to know the differences, so this article will help you to understand the differences.
Project Manager:
1. Role:
- Leader and Decision-Maker: Project Managers are typically seen as leaders responsible for making decisions, managing resources, and ensuring project success.
- Control: They often have a higher degree of control over project planning, execution, and delivery.
2. Responsibilities:
- Planning and Execution: Project Managers are involved in detailed project planning, resource allocation, and overseeing the execution of the project plan.
- Risk Management: They are responsible for identifying and mitigating risks that may impact the project timeline and budget.
- Stakeholder Management: Project Managers maintain communication with stakeholders and manage their expectations throughout the project.
3. Focus:
- End-to-End Project Management: Project Managers focus on the entire project life cycle, from initiation to closure.
- Deliverables: They are accountable for delivering the project’s scope within the defined constraints of time, budget, and quality.
4. Approach:
- Predictive/Waterfall Approach: Project Managers often work in environments that follow a predictive or waterfall project management approach, where the project is planned extensively upfront.
Scrum Master:
1. Role:
- Servant Leader and Facilitator: Scrum Masters are facilitators who serve the Scrum Team and the organization by promoting and supporting Scrum principles and practices.
- Collaboration: They focus on creating a collaborative environment where the team can self-organize and make decisions collectively.
2. Responsibilities:
- Facilitation: Scrum Masters facilitate Scrum ceremonies, such as Sprint Planning, Daily Stand-ups, and Retrospectives.
- Removing Impediments: They work to remove impediments that hinder the team’s progress, enabling the team to achieve its goals.
- Continuous Improvement: Scrum Masters foster a culture of continuous improvement, helping the team adapt and enhance its processes.
- Coaching and mentoring: Help the team members to find the solutions and root causes for problems through coaching approach and provide mentoring support to the team members to improve their performance.
3. Focus:
- Iterative and Incremental Development: Scrum Masters focus on iterative and incremental development, with a strong emphasis on delivering value in short cycles (Sprints).
- Team Dynamics: They pay attention to team dynamics and collaboration, ensuring that the team is working efficiently and harmoniously.
4. Approach:
- Empirical/Agile Approach: Scrum Masters work in Agile environments, emphasizing adaptability and responsiveness to change. They operate on the principles of inspection, adaptation, and transparency.
Key Differences:
PARAMETER | PROJECT MANAGER | SCRUM MASTER |
Type of working | Based on authority comes with the designation (Control) | Works as a servant leader who empowers and encourages the teams (Collaborative) |
Key focus | On the project, time, scope, cost, plan and tasks. Results oriented focus | Team members to make them self-managing and improving their performance. Relationship oriented focus. |
Environment | Predictive and plan driven | Adaptive through inspect and adapt |
Decision making | Takes decisions on their own | Not a decision maker, rather decision enabler |
Domain applicability | Can work in any domain related project | Can work in any domain related project |
Skills | People management, task management, coordination, communication, leadership, motivation, negotiation etc | People enablement, Coaching, mentoring, facilitation, communication, leadership, motivation |
Execution approach | Based on a plan through lifecycle management | Based on continuous improvement through iterative and incremental |
Certifications recommended | Project Management Professional (PMP) Prince 2 | Certified Scrum Master (CSM) |
Career growth | Project Manager → Program Manager → Portfolio Manager | Scrum Master → Team Coach → Agile Coach → Enterprise Transformation Coach |
In summary, while both roles contribute to the success of a project, the Project Manager tends to operate in a more traditional, controlled environment, while the Scrum Master thrives in an Agile, collaborative setting, emphasizing adaptability and continuous improvement. The choice between these roles depends on the project management approach and the organizational culture.
Learnovative has a proven track record in helping people transform into Scrum Master roles from traditional project manager roles. We provide an in-depth understanding of the Agile and Scrum practices through hands-on, interactive and case study based learning that enhances your transformation easy and faster. For more details about the Scrum Master role, review the below articles:
About CSM certification and benefits
