Scrum Master vs. Project Manager: Differences and Similarities

In IT industries, Scrum masters and Project managers have a crucial role in project management and in maintaining the productivity of the work. Scrum masters are the individuals who make sure that their team follows all the Scrum principles and works accordingly. In contrast, Project managers are the individuals who oversee the entire project including all the risks and the budgets.

Therefore, this article provides comprehensive knowledge about the Scrum master and Project manager, their similarities and differences.

Who is a Scrum Master?

A Scrum Master is a professional who mainly leads a team through the project by using Agile project management techniques. Thus Scrum masters are involved in tackling tasks from the backlog of the planned work. They also help in managing the collaboration and communications between the team members and they make sure that high-quality projects are being delivered.

What is the role of a Scrum Master?

Their main role is to implement and plan the Scrum framework. The scrum master leads the scrum team by facilitating a particular type of scrum-specific events like sprint planning and review. They are responsible for training their subordinates on multiple ideas and also helping their product owner by managing the product backlog. Further, the scrum master also helps the people to understand the Agile theories, practices, values, and rules.

Who are Project managers?

A project manager is a professional who particularly organizes, plans, and executes projects while working within the budget and schedules. The project managers mainly take charge of leading teams, scope of projects, and communicating and collaborating with the stakeholders. Some of the skills that are required for being a successful project manager are – planning, scheduling, organizing, communication, and so on.

What is the role of a Project manager?

The major role of a Project manager is to manage the business processes of the company as an employee. The project managers are the leaders of the company who manage the business needs and resources regularly. They define the scope of the project, its budget, and the risk involved in that project. If there is any risk involved in the project they can also handle that risk. Therefore the project managers help in tracking the schedules, delivering high-quality projects, and collaborating with the stakeholders and managers.

Difference Between Scrum Masters and Project Managers

There are differences between Scrum masters and Project managers which are mentioned below in the table:

Parameters	Scrum Master	Project Manager
Team Size	A scrum team consists of a small team to keep things simple as far as possible.	Project managers consist of a large team with huge budgets.
Main Objective	The main objective of scrum masters is to make sure that the team is well trained in the Agile methodologies.	One of the well-defined objectives of a Project manager is to plan the risks, budget, and scope of the project.
Salaries	The average salary of a Scrum master in the United States is $ 77,000 per year.	The average salary of a project manager in the United States is $97,500 per year.
Quality Assurance	Scrum masters ensure the quality of each product development stage	Project managers are well aware of quality assurance and they hire a consultant to fix the errors in the work.
Job Description	Able to help the team to have an understanding and knowledge of the Scrum and Agile methodologies. Motivate the team and monitor the scrum processes to increase the efficiency of the team. Make sure that the project is working effectively and solves the team conflicts. Able to facilitate the scrum ceremonies. Should have good communication skills and be able to resolve controls and barriers from the Scrum processes.	Project managers need to work with the upper management to ensure the alignment of the project. The project managers sometimes work by themselves and guide the team to finish the objective. If there is a requirement, they have to work with the other department’s project managers. They have to plan, develop a budget, and execute the project.
Certifications	To become a successful Scrum master there are two courses. These two courses are mentioned below: Certified Scrum Master(CSM) Professional Scrum Master (PSM I)	In order to become a successful project these certification courses are taken by the individuals: Project Management Professional (PMP) Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)
Roles and Responsibilities	Sprint planning Responsible for managing the scrum processes. Scheduling the daily scrum meetings and assisting with the product backlog. Helping the Scrum teams to follow the Scrum and Agile methodologies. Scrum master helps the team to improve the team dynamics.	Define the scope and the budget of a project. Plan the target of the project and also define the needs of the project. Maintains the quality of the project. Mitigate the risks involved in the project and work on the user’s feedback. Manage the communication and collaboration with the stakeholders.

Similarities Between the Scrum Master and the Project Manager

The Scrum Master and the project managers also have some similarities which are mentioned below:

• Scrum masters and project managers communicate and collaborate effectively with stakeholders.
• In the project development stage, they both help reduce the scope of errors. Both of them help in mitigating the risks, taking the feedback of the users, and working accordingly.
• Both roles require the same level of dedication, and neither of them is superior to the other. The Scrum master has to report to the product owner, whereas the project manager has to report directly to the stakeholders.
• If not worked according to the principles, the scrum master and project manager will both fail to deliver high-quality projects.

Conclusion

The roles of a scrum master and project manager are important for project management. Thus, Scrum masters mainly work on team management and help guide the teams to develop high-quality products, whereas project managers help manage the entire project journey.

Therefore, in this article, detailed knowledge has been provided about the Scrum master and the project manager, their roles, key differences, and similarities.

FAQs

Who is a Scrum Master?

A Scrum Master is a professional leading a team using Agile project management techniques, ensuring tasks are tackled from the planned work backlog.

Who are Project Managers?

Project Managers organize, plan, and execute projects within budget and schedules, taking charge of leading teams, defining project scope, and collaborating with stakeholders.

What is the role of a Scrum Master?

The main role of a scrum master is to organize the Scrum framework. The major tasks are leading special Scrum events, teaching team members, helping the product owner, and making sure everyone understands the principles of Agile.

What is the role of a Project Manager?

Project Managers handle company operations, outline the project’s boundaries, financial plan, and potential challenges. They make sure projects are delivered with top-notch quality and collaborate well with stakeholders.

What are the some of the differences between Scrum Masters and Project Managers?

Scrum Masters focus on Agile methodologies, while Project Managers plan risks, budget, and project scope.