A common question I receive is, “what’s the difference between product, program, project, and production roles?”. I like to break it down into two answers: the general definition and the company-specific definition.

General definition: the easy answer

Product managers develop solutions to user problems and needs through research, business strategy, clarifying functional requirements, and delivering features to the user all while analyzing data at each phase of development to inform the next decision. They generally don’t make these decisions alone. That’s the rest of the job – aligning teams, leadership, stakeholders, and users on the proposed solution.

Project managers work with teams to execute the planning, development, delivery, and closure of defined pieces of work a.k.a. projects. While they will often dig into what the product increment aims to achieve so they can clearly communicate the status of deliverables, project managers focus on ensuring work is broken down and dependencies are centrally managed. This enables a cross-functional team to work together smoothly in an ever-changing environment.

Program managers own portfolios of projects a.k.a. programs while defining the goals, outcomes, and path of execution. This is done by crafting a strategy for the program that drives teams to execute while aligning stakeholders on the business opportunity and impact. Sound similar to product management? That’s because it is in a lot of cases, but program management is often seen as a scaled project management role. This focuses the the role more towards coordinating multiple projects that belong to a program rather than focusing on a product and identifying new opportunities to bring to market.

Producers – or in our context, game producers facilitate the development of any and all aspects of a video game. Of all the roles listed so far, game production comes with the most variable responsibilities as they may need to own the responsibilities of a product, project, or program manager all while ensuring execution and delivery are on track and communicated out to the organization.

Company-specific definition: ready to take notes?

Companies do a wonderful job of clearly identifying roles and responsibilities for product, program, project, and production roles so people know what’s expected of them and how they can grow in their role.

Annnnnd that’s a (bad) joke. I’m sorry, I had to. So in reality, this is a tough spot to be in as a company. Defining a role in a general sense is one thing, but applying that to the ever-changing needs of an organization is complex to say the least. I’ve experienced a mix of the responsibilities listed in the general section above applied to each role in various combinations.

This comes about as companies start with 1-2 of these roles and expand over time as needs vary from team-to-team. What ends up happening is transition after transition between roles and responsibilities as the needs of the organization evolve over time. This is expected, especially in high autonomy organizations where teams are empowered to self-organize and solve problems while their priorities are rapidly changing.

The impact to individuals in these roles can be a slow burn over time where lack of clarity in expectations and growth can be demoralizing and often lead to churn. There are also waves of new hires that come in with the required experience for the roles the organization needs, leaving existing individuals to play catch-up in terms of learning new skills when a company shifts from project to product management (a common occurrence as of late).

So, what should you do?

1. Are you new and looking to join a company? Reach out to recruiters and existing employees on professional platforms such as LinkedIn and simply ask. That will get you the current answer and help you decide if the role is right for you.
2. Identify what your current team needs are. Take the role and title out of the equation and focus on the needs. For example, ask yourself: does your team need a strategist or someone that drives execution? Do they need someone that identifies new opportunities or executes on an existing backlog of work?
3. Decide whether you like what the role is turning into. If it’s not for you, look for a way to move on or justify the existence of the previous role. In the end, the company has a shifting need and so do you. Sometimes, both can’t be meant and it’s simply time to move on. If it is a role you think you would like to grow into, then go all-in. Reach out to people that already have experience in the new role and learn through 1:1 conversations and mentorship. Start practicing how you’d change your day-to-day from role A to B and setting that expectation with your team and manager.

In the end, companies will define their needs and organizations within the company will do their best to quantify those needs and meet them with cross-discipline teams. This will lead to shifts between product, project, program, and production roles. It’s up to you as the individual to find the best fit for you and decide what you want to do. As for the answer to the original question of what’s the difference – sometimes it’s simply a difference in what your specific team needs at the moment. You’re a part of the team so rally the group and help define it!