Project Management

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Product Management Vs Product Owner

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TAIWO POPOOLA
Community Champion
Head of Cloud Software & Services| Ericsson EMEA Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria
Professionals often interchangeably use Product owner and Product Manager.

Product Manager is part of the process of setting the product strategy and vision, starting from the ideation, growth stage, maturity stage until the product is retired.

While...
 
Product Owner comes in when the product is ready for development, acting as the link between the development team and stakeholders (customers, business owners, ...) to ensure that the development team deliver value that aligns with the product vision.

What are your thoughts?

 
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Kiron Bondale Retired | Mentor| Retired Welland, Ontario, Canada
Taiwo -

Your description of the two terms matches what I have seen in many organizations - the PM tends to have strategic and P&L responsibilities for the product whereas the PO often times works under the PM and focuses on delivery.

However, like so many other roles, the two can be conflated so it is always a good idea to read job descriptions and ask about responsibilities and level of authority before moving into one of these roles in a specific company.

Kiron
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Ashwin Kumar H M
Community Champion
Consultant| Canarys Automation Ltd Bangalore, Karnataka, India

I agree that the distinction between Product Manager and Product Owner often blurs, and it's crucial to understand the specific responsibilities within an organization. In my experience, the key difference lies in the strategic versus tactical focus.

The Product Manager is typically involved in market research, defining the product vision, and aligning it with business goals. They often take a broader view of the product lifecycle, including go-to-market strategies and revenue objectives. On the other hand, the Product Owner is more hands-on with the development team, ensuring that the product backlog is prioritized and that the team’s work aligns with the strategic vision set by the Product Manager.

However, I've also seen scenarios where the same individual has to wear both hats, especially in smaller organizations. In such cases, clarity on the role's expectations and authority level is vital to avoid potential conflicts and ensure cohesive product development. The key takeaway is that while the roles can overlap, they each bring unique value to the product's success.

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FAIZA KHALIL MIS,Policy & Project Coordinator| SAMBA BANK Karachi, Sd, Pakistan

Exactly — that distinction is important. A Product Manager defines what the product should achieve and why, guiding strategy across its lifecycle. A Product Owner focuses on how the development team delivers that vision, managing the backlog and ensuring each increment provides value. Both roles collaborate closely but operate at different levels.

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