Toptal Projects Blog

The Toptal Projects Blog is a focal point for learning about the current best practices, tricks of the trade, and state of knowledge in Project Management and Agile leadership. These publications are brought to you by the professional project managers and agile professionals in the Toptal network.

World-class articles, delivered weekly.

3 Essential Project Manager Skills and How to Hone Them

By Kata Török-Pál

Managing projects is largely about managing people. These three soft skills can help project managers build a strong team, gain trust, and create a positive culture.

7 minute readContinue Reading

Program Manager vs. Product Manager: A Conflict Resolution Strategy

By Kamil Imański

Program managers and product managers often clash. Improving communication at three specific touch points can alleviate tension, develop more positive relationships, and ensure smooth project delivery.

7 minute readContinue Reading

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What Is a Product Owner? A Project Manager’s Guide

By Elizabeth A. Anderson

It’s not uncommon for project managers to be assigned duties that should belong to a product owner. Find out how you can use this role confusion to your advantage, and increase your skills in both arenas.

6 minute readContinue Reading

You’ve Landed Your Next Scrum Master Job. Now What?

By Anna Zakoyan

The first days in a new position can be confusing and lead to avoidable mistakes. These Scrum master best practices will help you become the servant-leader your team needs.

9 minute readContinue Reading

SAFe Case Studies: Transformation Notes From the Field

By Daniel Carroll

In the final installment of Toptal’s Agile scaling series, the creator of SAFe, Dean Leffingwell, shares his expertise alongside three case studies from Toptal project managers who discuss the challenges and rewards of implementing an Agile scaling framework.

9 minute readContinue Reading

Agile Scaling: SAFe Best Practices for Scrum Masters

By Ammar Raafat Mohamed Bashandy

This article is part of Toptal’s Agile scaling series, designed to guide project managers in their team expansion efforts. In this second installment, Toptal Scrum expert Ammar Raafat discusses how Scrum masters moving into the role of release train engineer can help their teams thrive.

11 minute readContinue Reading

5 Agile Scaling Frameworks Compared: Which One Should You Use?

By Kamil Imański

Toptal’s Agile scaling series is designed to guide project managers in their team expansion efforts. In this first installment, project manager Kamil Imański breaks down popular scaling frameworks to help you make the best choice.

9 minute readContinue Reading

Using Agile Spreadsheets for Discovery Estimation

By Mauricio Silva

Estimation tools abound but none is as flexible and accessible as the humble Agile spreadsheet. Here’s why you should consider customizing your own to calculate discovery estimates.

14 minute readContinue Reading