Is engineering PM an over-saturated role ?

Do you think that the role of a project manager (PM) is overrated? Do you feel it is hyped, oversaturated, and maybe, even elitist? If so, you probably need a reality check. The competition that one has to deal with to become a PM, after all, is often worth the effort.

In this post, you will find out why the role of a PM is relevant, especially in today’s times.

Start by understanding that many seemingly great products would not have found the success they have if not for competent PMs. However, the role is such that the number of PM openings is typically lower when compared to completely engineering or technical roles.

What Does a Project Manager Do?

Businesses that require PMs do so with good reason. While they have engineers and developers to focus on software and mechanical specifics of getting products going, PMs play a vital role in understanding customer requirements and communicating with all stakeholders.


In a nutshell, a PM needs to understand customer requirements, identify tools or processes that can be of use, and oversee the creation, execution, and delivery of any project.


A good PM would also be adept at:

• Identifying and resolving issues
• Budgeting
• Time management and approval
• Team-building

One of the biggest challenges that PMs face is influencing people without exercising an air of authority. This can be particularly difficult when they have to deal with people who don’t report to them directly.

Project Managers vs. Product Managers

While both are PMs in their own right, and both come from predominantly engineering backgrounds, they have different responsibilities.


Project managers need to ensure that tasks are assigned to the right people, while also making sure of timely delivery. Their focus is on driving the development of products. A project manager would typically:

• Oversee the workload of multiple engineers
• Have at least basic technical knowledge about products being developed
• Solve management and scheduling problems
• Coach and offer advice
• Resolve disputes

A technical product manager, on the other hand, is responsible for making tech-based decisions after considering different metrics, as well as for overseeing the execution of development plans.

The "Worth" of a Project Manager

As a project manager, you should have the required knowledge about your realm, failing which you don’t stand a very good chance of earning your peers’ respect. Being able to influence without authority is also important.


You should be able to get through roadblocks faced by your engineers and bring plans to fruition. For instance, if your engineers are waiting for information from a product owner who is slow to respond, you should be able to deliver in a timely manner.


Consider this example – you are responsible for handling a team that is working on a completely new product. You need to start by determining if it is a good idea. Then, you need to look into existing competition, as well as address aspects related to costs and revenue. You also need to collaborate with the marketing team so it can help you get your product off the ground. To do all this effectively, you need more than just engineering skills.

As you can see, the role of a project manager is rather wide-ranging, and calls for high levels of soft skills as well as business skills.

Conclusion

Getting back to whether the role of PMs has become oversaturated, the answer remains an obvious no. However, what should go without saying is that not having a PM at all is better than having a bad one. A good PM should not only have technical knowhow and analytical skills, but should also be able to distribute accountability and ownership of key aspects to the core team.

If you can manage to double up as a project and product manager, there’s nothing like it, because you’re then responsible for executing your own suggestions.