Product Owner → IT Project Manager

A realistic transition from Product Owner to IT Project Manager: transferable skills, the gaps to close, a step-by-step learning plan and alternative routes. Estimated skill overlap 62%. Difficulty: Medium.

Difficulty: Medium6 stepsDuration: 9 to 13 monthsOverlap: 62%

Transition from Product Owner to IT Project Manager.

Transferable skills

  • Risk management
  • Budget management
  • Agile & Scrum
  • Stakeholder management
  • Vendor management

Skills to learn

  • Project planning
  • IT general knowledge
  • Reporting

Step-by-step learning plan

  1. 1. Build on your Product Owner experience

    2–4 weeks

    Leverage

    • Risk management
    • Budget management
    • Agile & Scrum
    • Stakeholder management

    Map transferable skills — Risk management, Budget management, Agile & Scrum — against what an IT Project Manager needs.

  2. 2. Learn the core of the IT Project Manager role

    6–10 weeks

    Learn

    • Project planning
    • Reporting

    Technologies

    MS ProjectExcelServiceNow

    Cover the biggest gaps first: Project planning, Reporting.

  3. 3. Master advanced IT Project Manager skills

    6–10 weeks

    Learn

    • IT general knowledge

    Technologies

    Slack

    Handle the advanced topics: IT general knowledge.

  4. 4. Get productive with the IT Project Manager toolchain

    4–8 weeks

    Technologies

    MS ProjectExcelServiceNowSlack

    Be hands-on with MS Project, Excel, ServiceNow and the rest of the target stack.

  5. 5. Practise IT Project Manager work in real conditions

    4–8 weeks

    Ship a portfolio project or take on IT Project Manager tasks at work.

  6. 6. Get certified and position yourself as a IT Project Manager

    4–8 weeks

    Technologies

    PMPPRINCE2 PractitionerPSM I (Scrum Master)

    Update your CV and LinkedIn around IT Project Manager, then apply to target roles.

Alternative routes