Describe the differences between a product manager, project manager, and scrum master.

This particular interview question is aimed at assessing your understanding of various roles within the realm of management, specifically within product development and project management contexts. Job roles like product manager, project manager and scrum master often have overlapping skills, but their core functions, responsibilities, and goals are distinctly different. As part of your response, you should be able to:

1. Define each role clearly.
2. Differentiate them based on their primary responsibilites.
3. Discuss their unique role within a team or an organization and how they interact with each other.

It's important to show that you understand the nuances and specifics of these roles to prove your industry knowledge and organisational skills.

A Product Manager is someone who is responsible for defining the vision, strategy, and product roadmap to meet customers' needs and accomplish business objectives. They primarily focus on understanding the market and customer demands, and drive product development accordingly.

A Project Manager, on the other hand, oversees specific projects within an organisation and ensures that they are completed effectively, on time, and within budget. They define the project's requirements, monitor progress, and coordinate with different functional teams to accomplish the project goals.

Lastly, a Scrum Master is a key role in Agile development teams. Their primary responsibility is to ensure the team follows Agile principles and practices, facilitate communication, and remove any obstacles or impediments that might affect the team's performance.

Despite their differences, these roles coexist and contribute uniquely to an organization's success by managing products, projects, and processes optimally.

In simple terms, a Product Manager is like the CEO of the product. They define what needs to be built, why it should be built, and work closely with the teams to build solutions that meet user needs and achieve business objectives.

The Project Manager, on the other hand, is more like the CEO of the project, being responsible for its successful delivery. They decide how the work should be done, who should do it, and when it needs to be completed.

A Scrum Master is a facilitator for an Agile team, ensuring the team adheres to Agile methodologies and helping to remove any roadblocks. They act more as coaches, cultivating a healthy team environment and facilitating communication and collaboration.

Essentially, while a product manager is focused on the product's vision, a project manager is concerned with execution, and a Scrum Master ensures efficient processes, aiding the other two roles in achieving their objectives.