Product Management vs. Project Management

567 Words3 Pages
A Product includes any tangible or intangible item or service, or bundles of goods and services offered for sale. Products have a life cycle. They are conceived, developed, introduced to and managed in the market, over a period of time. A Project is a series of activities and tasks which contribute to the creation or support of a product or service. Projects are organized within a systematic framework, utilizing appointed or allocated resources. The tasks are subject to dependencies (e.g. upon the performance of others) and risks (e.g. upon factors that can go wrong). The delivery of a product signals the conclusion of these project activities and tasks. Projects also have a life cycle. They have a start point and an end point. Product Managers are individuals appointed to be product or product line “mini-business” owners. They are the leaders of cross-functional product teams. These teams are formed to optimize the product’s market position and financial return over its life cycle and their performance should be consistent with division and corporate strategies Project Managers are individuals responsible for planning, monitoring and controlling all aspects of a project. They must motivate and synchronize the assigned resources to achieve the goals of the project, while coping with the constraints of time, cost and consistent quality. Project Managers manage projects from start to finish. Here is the most important distinction between products and projects. Products represent the essence of the business – how it thrives, grows and brings revenue to the firm. Projects are the vehicles used to derive, deliver and support products, and any other business elements related to them Common Realities Product Managers and Project Managers share some common challenges. In most organizations, resources need to be secured from various business functions with agendas of
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