Stephen RobinProject Analyst Trainee| Ministry of Works and TransportArima, Ari, Trinidad and Tobago
In a conversation with a professional in the software industry whose identity will not be disclosed, I talked about my intentions to become a project manager which led to a perspective I never heard of before. The individual believes in the future there will be no more project managers but only Scrum Masters. Scrum Masters not only would overtake project managers in the ICT industry but across the board in all industries and sectors with Agile being the preferred method to do projects.
Therefore it would not be a viable option as a career path. While I do not agree with those views I thought it would make for a good discussion dealing with the future of the project manager and scrum master role. Not to cast harsh judgment or dismiss but to explore different perspectives in the project management world.
What are your thoughts on this?
Is it valid and sound?
What are the takeaways?
If anything, there is a fairly significant backlash against agile given the high volume of failed transformations and some companies have eliminated their agile coaches and Scrum masters.
A good PM needs to be able to draw from all toolkits - predictive and adaptive, and to modify their leadership stance as the situation requires.
Such PMs will be around long after the role of Scrum Master has been delegated to the trash pile. Saving Changes...
I agree with Kiron. To start with the non-IT applications, the engineering development process of physical products may be very unsuited to Scrum. A structural loads model may cost millions of dollars to run for a single iteration so frequent changes would quickly bankrupt the project. There may be parts of the project where a process similar to Scrum are used, but those fit into a large predictive development project.
Even in IT projects, there may be many factors preventing Scrum only. Projects that include IT hardware in addition to software have items with very different lead times, some of which may be controlled by an outside vendor where you have limited direct oversight. Working with regulatory agencies is another example where you may have little opportunity for driving value early to the customer and fixing errors on later iterations. The regulators may not have the flexibility to support your schedule and are not fully devoted to your team. You send them documents to review, and then send them back after a review period. They also may require a much more complete product with much more rigorous testing before it may be delivered at all. Saving Changes...
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Stephen, I agree with my fellow colleagues here. While this could be true for some organizations, yet, I don't personally agree with the view presented by the person you had a conversation with. Scrum Masters can never fully replace PMs so my advise is move forward with pursuing your career as a PM. Saving Changes...
Program Manager, PPM&PMO Specialist.| Coppel, Mexico.Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico
I agree with my colleagues, SCM is a specialty of the PM, a PMP will not be replaced by them as more specialties are needed, and new ones will emerge, I also recommend making a career in project management." Saving Changes...
Please correct your correct understanding first
1) SM is a role, not a position or job title
2) SM is a role in the field of product development (especially software products or similar software products), not a project, nor a substitute role for project managers
3) PM is a project, and a project is totalitarianism authorized by the sponsor, so don't even think about agility,
4) If agility is thrown into the trash, did PMI acquire DAD in 2019 just to cheat money? Saving Changes...
PMI's ACP cannot achieve the expected agile benefits and certification market expansion, and PMP cannot meet PMI's overall profit expectations.
Isn't the acquisition of DAD to expand the certification product path for making money?
Isn't the acquisition of DAD to adapt to the global market, which is already a trend of "from project to product"?
When will you extreme "projectism" come to a fresh start from "project"?
Reference
"The Standish Group Reports" shows 83.9% of IT Projects Fail
"The Chaos Report" shows that up to 23% of projects using Agile methodologies still fail.
Please read:
"Project to Product: How to Survive and Thrive in the Age of Digital Disruption with the Flow Framework" Saving Changes...
Existence is reasonable. Agility is the demand and trend of the market. The agile mentality is first of all "adaptation", adapting to market changes and development. Any conclusive judgment and characterization is extremism.
PMI's "project" was developed in the 1970s
Agile's "product development" was developed in the 1990s
They are not in the same field or the same topic. There are too many junior ignorant people and scammers who use "agile projects" to cheat money. When "agile projects" fail, they blame "agile" and even promote "agile is dead".
As long as it is a project, don't think it will be agile. The project is authorized by the sponsor. One person's centralization, the project manager has the highest decision-making power over everyone else. How to be agile, this is contrary to the equality, consultation, collaboration, and common ownership of agile. The reason why many organizations or teams implement agile poorly or fail is because the "demon of centralization" has been entrenched in their hearts. They don't want to give up power. They live like parasites on the big tree of "centralization". They are addicted and they can't live without power and interests. Saving Changes...
Philip van AntwerpenRegional Project Portfolio Manager - PMP| Quartex Mining SoftwareRandburg, Gt, South Africa
I have heard this view already a few years ago , and seen it failed in practice. Actually the need for Project Management has grown due to the failures of this perception. They are two different roles and each has a place. SM replacing PM role, do not think so! Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
My opinion is you have to be able to run both roles. In fact, the best is if you get the ability to run both roles at the same time in different initiatives that are using different approaches. Saving Changes...
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