Is there a need for Project Managers on Agile projects? When organizations transition to Agile, it’s usually to the Scrum framework with 3 main roles: 1) Product Owner 2) Scrum Master, 3) Development Team. The Product Owner owns the product vision and drives the priority of the work to be developed. They create the product roadmap and execute the vision to a releasable product. The Scrum Master is the servant leader who guides the Development Team around agile principles and continuous improvement. They remove impediments, and keeps the team and stakeholders updated on the teams progress towards achieving project goals. The Development Team owns their way of working to complete their objectives towards the product vision. This includes collaborating estimating their work and deciding when to work on certain tasks. Notice there isn’t a Project Manager role mentioned. Where does this leave the Project Manager then?
An assumption is often made by the organization that Project Managers are no longer needed on Agile teams. However, organizations still need Project Managers. I have never seen Project Managers let go because Agile is implemented.
What happens to the PM when the teams moves towards agile?
A Project Manager has opportunities in Agile environments. I have seen in most organizations, the Project Manager shifting into a strategic position. They work closely with the Scrum Master and Product Owner to bridge the communication gap between the development team and upper management.
A Project Manager is needed to manage project risks. Some Project Managers shift to a Program Manager, where they manage multiple high-level projects at the program level.
I have also seen Project Managers shift to a Scrum Master position. This is a great opportunity to gain a different skillset as a servant leader on an Agile project. My career shifted to a Scrum Master seven years ago before moving back to a Project Manager role.
Are Project Managers really needed in Agile? In my opinion, yes. The value a Project Manager brings is very valuable. Even in a fully Agile company, there are higher level project tasks that need to be taken care of. Such as risk management, procurement, strategic alignment, reporting, compliance, among many others. Although the Scrum Master and Product Owner handle many of the team-level tasks, there still remains a gap between leadership and the project team. It is short-sighted for an organization to eliminate the Project Manager role when transitioning to Agile.