What is the difference between Product Manager and Project Manager? Can I switch from Project Manager to Product Manager. Experience: 1 year Project Engineer, 6 months Industrial Engineer, 1 year 8 months Assistant Project Manager (construction company) BS Mechanical Engineering and MS Industrial Engineering.
If you don't even know the difference between a project manager and product manager; no, you can't switch. You probably shouldn't be a project manager either
Lol savage
Stfu, it’s not like you were born and automatically knew about either.
Pretty big difference here: Project manager - helping to ensure teams are meeting deadlines, collaborating, helping to remove blockers, likely a lot of cross-functional stakeholders Product manager - working on product or feature, shaping roadmap, working with Eng, Marketing, Research to deliver product truth
Microsoft also has program manager role. What do they do then?
I could be wrong but I think they manage sets of projects or they manage project managers
Simply, PDMs are the same as PMs in that PDMs are specialized PMs. PDMs are different in that they are subject matter experts on the products they create and nurture. PMs are facilitators to remove blocks, keep on time and budget, and keeps projects going.
PM typically = product managers but you are using PM as project manager incorrectly. Project managers are not specialized Product managers. They are two very distinct roles. Product is accountable for business metrics Project is accountable for internal workflows
Intuit is as close to right as you can be. But it’s important to recognize that it really varies from company. I’ve had PM roles that were heavy scrum master vibes, then I’ve had ones that were more strategic, UX and user focused. At a startup it’s often a blend of both.
Product manager - the one that pretends to build everything and without them there is no product. Project manager - the one who’s trying to pretend like a product manager and become one.
the one that pretends to build everything but without them there is no product*
Product skills include project. In fact every role has to project manage. The key thing a product manager does is sets the vision and prioritizes work to ensure the needs of the business and customer are met given the technical constraints. On a big team, a PM and PgM are both needed
Former has bigger ego while latter sucks it up
It might be possible to switch but it may not be immediate. Are there Product Managers at your current company? Speak to some and see if you can help out or get mentored. Otherwise, look at tech companies that make products for the construction industry. See what the requirements are for Product managers there and try to get a job there and make the switch. You can always launch something of your own too. That way you see if Product mgmt is for you or not.
If you have to ask....
You can’t *just switch* they’re not the same and I would argue you barely have enough experience as a Project Manager to make a move like this. Start taking to Proj Man. people, but do your diligence. Asking here “what is the difference” is not nearly enough. Too many idiotic PMs and Proj. Mans. for this bs.
One held accountable for product market fit, the other is held accountable for projects being completed on time.
Spelling is different.
Only at Dell :)
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