The Costly Mistake of Confusing a Program Manager with a Product Manager

Hey there,

What's the difference between a Program Manager and a Product Manager?

If your answer is "not much," you're not alone. But conflating these two roles can be a costly mistake.

I was recently brought in to help a struggling tech team get back on track. On paper, they had a solid roster of product managers. But as I started digging into their processes, I realized something was off.

The "product managers" were really just glorified project coordinators. They were great at herding cats and keeping things moving, but they lacked the strategic vision and customer insight that true product management requires.

It was like having a team full of nutritionists when what we really needed were doctors. Both play a role in health, but their training and focus are vastly different.

The lesson? Don't take titles at face value. Always dig deeper to understand the true skills and capabilities of the people you're working with.

Here are a few questions to ask to suss out whether someone is a true product manager:

1. How do you conduct user research and validate product ideas?

2. What's your process for prioritizing features and managing the roadmap?

3. How do you define and measure product success?

The difference between a product manager and a program manager can be the difference between a product that delights customers and one that barely limps across the finish line.

As fractional CTOs, it's on us to ensure the right people are in the right roles, regardless of what their business card says.

Have you ever encountered a "title mismatch" with your clients? How did you handle it? Reply and share your stories - I'm always keen to learn.

Until next time,
Lior

Lior Weinstein
Founder & Head Coach, CTOx