Scrum Master vs Project Manager: How are they different?

Scrum masters and Project managers are two words that are widely used in the industry today and there is a lot of confusion between the two as their roles are quite similar in organizations and it is to handle projects or to contribute towards projects in an organization.

The young professionals who have just speed in the Project management domain, then there are chances that you may find some confusion between the two instinct roles. Well if you are in confusion then worry no further as today in this paper we will try and eradicate all your doubts regarding both the certifications as in this paper we will cover all the similarities and the dissimilarities between the two certifications and we will also look in details regarding the Scrum master and the Project management certification just to provide you more and relevant information regarding the two certifications. So keep following and get enlightened.

If you ever have problems deciding which career role is meant for you then what is going to unfold next will provide you with the right information that will help you decide between the two certifications.

There have been recorded instances of people mixing the roles of a Scrum master with a Project manager in an Agile environment. Although there are some similarities between the two which exits only till a certain level. However, it is not completely the case. The roles of a Scrum Master and a Project manager are different.

In the case of Scrum masters, they are one who contributes to the projects that are governed by the Agile principles which utilize the Scrum project management principles. Whereas in the case of the project managers, they are solely responsible and contributes to projects that are governed by the archaic and disciplined project management principles.

If you are someone who would like to shift roles then this is going to be a great read as the paper will bring the roles of the Project manager and the scrum master separately to provide you with a complete understanding of the two certifications.

Before jumping straight into the dissimilarities between the two, let us first understand the two certifications. For that, I am including a detailed explanation of the roles and the about the certification to lay a better foundation that will provide you with the required clarity to spot the differences between the two.

To begin let us first focus on the Scrum Master and his or her job roles and then we will try and locate the contrast between the two.

SCRUM MASTER

The Scrum Master is responsible to carry out projects in an organization through the application, utilization and execution of the Scrum principles. He or she is responsible for the actions of the Scrum team members. He or she also makes sure that the Scrum team members are following the Agile principles to achieve a task or to accomplish a project.

Before moving forward in the Scrum Master role, let us first highlight and understand Scrum and what is Scrum project management?

Predominantly, Scrum is a word that denotes a framework which governs all the Agile and Scrum projects in an organization. There are many benefits associated with the utilization of the Scrum framework. First and foremost it allows professionals to cater to the complex problems with agility to come up with supreme quality and high-value products.

Previously, the convoluted product development scenarios were the ones where the Scrum framework was consistently used. The Agile adaptive product development works on the rules and principles which are defined in Scrum.

The scrum master is the main person in a scrum team. He or she is the leader of the scrum team and makes sure that all the issues are being addressed on time so that timely solutions can be provided in order to deliver high standard results for an organization.

Their role also includes keeping the team on the track as far as goals, vision and mission of an organization is concerned. They also make sure that the Scrum team is abiding by the rules and principles that are related to Scrum and Agile. The complete maintenance of the scrum principles is another role of the Scrum master. The maximization of productivity is the major goal for which the Scrum masters work and try to inculcate the same among the other Scrum and Agile team members so that they are competent enough to deal with the Agile projects.

Let us now have a detailed look at the roles and responsibilities of a Scrum Master:

• First and foremost a Scrum master is responsible for steering the project in the right direction through the utilization of Scrum and Agile principles, theories and practices.

• A product owner is someone who is also responsible for the management of product backlog and finds out new ad practical ways to find techniques that can help with the same. The Scrum master also assist the product owner regarding the product backlog.

• With the help of a Scrum Master, the product owner is able to converse the real product needs and wants with the development team to get the desired outcome and results.

• Scrum masters guide, help and assist the product owners with the management of the product backlog so that value maximization can take place in an organization.

• Facilitation of the scrum events are also a responsibility of the Scrum

• Moreover, the Scrum masters also mentor and coach the teams so that they stick and abide by the scrum rules and practices.

• Scrum masters also take care of all the hindrances coming in the way of reaching the ultimate goal by the development team. They are the ones who are constantly focused on achieving progress in every facet associated with product development.

• Team dynamics are maintained because of the scrum masters and they also focus on the team so that they are able to deliver valuable results and outcomes.

• They are also responsible for arranging and scheduling Scrum meeting and scrum events.

• The execution and implementation of the scrum framework in an organization is the sole focus of the Scrum masters. They act as a guide for someone who is steeping in the scrum environment for the first time.

These are the major role of the scrum master. Let us now understand the detailed roles and responsibilities of a project manager but before starting this we will have a closer look at Project management and what is the role of a Project manager?

Project management refers to the management of projects by a project manager who is responsible for steering the projects in the right direction by analyzing all the important aspects and facets related to project management. The rules of a project manager include the following:

• A project manager is responsible for achieving the desired result within the prescribed time and budget for the project. He or she needs to analyze the demand for the projects and must work in accordance with that.

•  A project manager is someone who exercises a wider control as far as the management of projects is concerned. They are the risk assessors and manages all the things accordingly so that all the hindrances are taken into account to deliver the right project with utmost functionality as expected by the organization.

• The project managers also take care of the project assessment before initiating the project with the other team members. They work towards deriving a clear comprehension of the projects so that all the necessary actions can be taken to secure complete planning and a set of strategies before commencing the project and in order to complete it to get the desired outcome.

• The project managers are the ones who look after the projects and they also comprehend the projects as far as their scope are concerned. Planning is a crucial part of the project and therefore project assessment is important to come up with effective planning solutions. This is the main role of the project manager in an organization while handling and directing projects that are complex.

• Scope, budget, time and resource efficiency all these and many more project constraints are taken into consideration by the project manager before beginning a project.

• Project managers also handle any project bottlenecks that can hamper the growth and productivity-related with the projects in an organization.

• Team dynamics and stakeholder management is another important role and responsibility of a project manager. The project manager also works towards identifying any project hindrances, risk assessments, and also highlights any unresolved issue if encountered during the process.

• They also seek for budget approvals from the management as far as projects are concerned.

• They also assist the teams in understanding their respective roles so that they are able to achieve unified efforts.

• All the real-time updates and the documentations are also handled by the project managers whose major role is to make sure that everything flows smoothly during the process.

• Project managers also track the performance of the projects and they can also modify anything that is not in synchronization with the other facets of the project. This also helps in maintaining an effective project quality control.

These are some of the major roles of a Project manager that they have to fill in an organization.

A scrum master is more concerned about the scrum team and members so that maximum product value is achieved and delivered. However, if you take a look at the responsibilities of a project manager you will find that their role is much complex as they exercise control over a large span of processes taking place throughout the project management.

Moreover, a project manager works with a less risk-oriented environment when compared to a Scrum master. Apart from this, the project managers can make use of the traditional disciplined project management approaches, techniques and practices.

You can search the web for information regarding the PMP certification training and details regarding the Scrum master as well. I hope this piece of information work for you and will guide through certifications.