Companies grow, business goals become more ambitious, products evolve, and development teams work to execute bold new initiatives. But too often, there’s a disconnect—business leaders set the vision, product teams define features, and developers build the solutions, but without alignment, projects stall or miss the mark.
That’s where project managers (PMs) step in. They don’t just keep projects on track—they act as translators, connectors, and problem-solvers, ensuring that what the business wants and what the development team delivers are one and the same.
But how do they do this effectively? What does it take to bridge the gap between business, product, and tech? We asked Sree Karanakarun, a seasoned IT program manager, to share how she has honed this skill throughout her career.
The Evolution of a Project Manager: Walking in Different Shoes
As someone who started as a mainframe developer before moving into business analysis and then project management, Sree understands what it’s like to be on both sides of the equation. She believes the best PMs are those who learn how each role contributes to the bigger picture and can anticipate challenges from different perspectives.
Sree’s experience coding COBOL and JCL in mainframe systems gave her deep insight into how technical teams work. Moving into business analysis taught her how to gather requirements and refine processes. Eventually, transitioning into project management gave her the ability to oversee everything from a higher level, ensuring both business and technical teams stay aligned.
This multi-perspective approach allows PMs to:
✅ Respect and relate to both business and technical teams.
✅ Anticipate challenges that different teams face.
✅ Facilitate smoother communication by using terminology both sides understand.
Speaking the Developer’s Language: Why It Matters
One of the biggest struggles in project management is miscommunication between business stakeholders and development teams.
Sree emphasizes that PMs don’t have to be coders—but they must understand the fundamentals of how software is built, the terminology developers use, and the methodologies they follow.
“If you don’t understand what developers are talking about, you’re always on the outside looking in. It creates tension and delays. But if you can translate business needs into technical terms, and vice versa, you become an invaluable bridge.”
How Can a PM Build Technical Fluency?
🔹 Learn the Basics: Understand development workflows, key methodologies (Agile, Scrum, Waterfall), and common terms like APIs, databases, and testing.
🔹 Ask Smart Questions: Developers appreciate PMs who show curiosity and respect for their work. Instead of saying, “I don’t get it,” ask, “Can you help me understand how this integrates with the existing system?”
🔹 Focus on Big-Picture Understanding: PMs don’t need to write code but should grasp how systems interact and what impacts timelines, dependencies, and testing.
🔹 Be a Liaison, Not a Bottleneck: Your job is to make sure business needs are clearly conveyed to developers, and technical challenges are communicated back to stakeholders in a way they understand.
Cutting Through the Chaos: Seeing the Bigger Picture
Sree describes one of the most underrated superpowers of a great project manager—the ability to see through the chaos and make sense of complex moving parts.
“Project managers don’t just organize tasks. We translate, connect, and anticipate. A PM sees the full puzzle when others only see scattered pieces.”
Here’s how PMs bring clarity to complexity:
🔹 Mapping Out the Moving Parts – Understanding workflows, dependencies, and key decision points.
🔹 Keeping Business Goals in Focus – Making sure technical work aligns with strategic objectives.
🔹 Communicating Across Teams – Speaking both business and technical languages to prevent misunderstandings.
Building Trust with Developers and Stakeholders
A common mistake PMs make is assuming they must have all the answers—when in reality, the best PMs know how to ask the right questions and build relationships with their teams.
“If you’re a PM who doesn’t have a technical background, don’t be afraid to ask developers for help. You’re not there to code—you’re there to make sure the right work gets done in the right way.”
Best Practices for PMs Managing Technical Teams
✔️ Respect Developers’ Expertise: Don’t dictate solutions—ask them for input and involve them early.
✔️ Clarify Expectations: Make sure developers know the “why” behind a project, not just the “what.”
✔️ Put the Spotlight on the Work, Not Yourself: PMs don’t do the work—they represent it. Recognizing and advocating for developers builds trust and credibility.
✔️ Adapt to New Technologies: Even if you don’t code, stay informed about emerging tech trends and their impact on your projects.
The PM Superpower: Translating Between Business and Tech
The best project managers don’t just manage projects—they bridge the gap between strategy and execution.
🔹 They turn business goals into clear development roadmaps.
🔹 They translate complex technical details into stakeholder-friendly updates.
🔹 They bring clarity to chaos and ensure projects stay on track.
“Every project has its own puzzles—different tools, teams, and constraints. The job of a PM is to put those puzzle pieces together to create a successful outcome.”
Final Takeaway
If you’re a PM looking to sharpen your business-to-tech translation skills, focus on learning, listening, and building relationships. You don’t need to be an expert in every field—but you do need to be the person who ensures expertise is understood and applied effectively.
That’s what makes project managers the ultimate bridge between business and technology. 🚀
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