Product Manager vs. Product Owner

The core argument is that the product owner role, created in Scrum, is not a limited tactical function but a full-stack product management position. Confusion stems from Scrum treating the owner as a backlog manager while SAFe splits ownership between a tactical product owner and a strategic product manager.

In Scrum the owner is responsible for maximizing product value, which includes vision, strategy, and tactical decisions. SAFe, however, redefines the role to focus only on tactical backlog work and adds a separate product manager for strategic direction. This split creates overlapping authority and frequent misunderstandings about who decides what.

Historically Scrum used the term product manager in the early 1990s, but as product management evolved to involve continuous collaboration with development, the term was changed to product owner. The shift also helped organizations without established product management groups adopt Scrum by assigning a business representative to own the product without needing a full PM function.

Using the product owner title empowers teams in non-product companies-banks, retailers, media-by giving a clear decision-maker who can act quickly. It also avoids the costly re-organization required to create a separate product management department before an agile transformation can begin.

The article recommends dropping the semantic debate and treating the product owner as a product manager who must develop both strategic and tactical skills. Consistent terminology, such as senior/junior product manager or owner, reduces confusion and aligns cross-functional teams around shared responsibility for product outcomes.