Product Owner

From AgileMe
Jump to navigation Jump to search


The Product Owner role is intended to be a single person, not a sub team or a committee who maximises the value of the work delivered by the Development Team, and is responsible for managing the Product Backlog. The Development Team can do the work, but the Product Owner is responsible for the Product Backlog. The role is expected to show a high degree of transparency in terms of the composition, the ordering of the Product Backlog items, and how well the Development Team understand the Product Backlog.

Responsible For

  • The management of the Product Backlog
  • Ensuring the Development Team deliver the highest possible value
  • Has the authority to cancel a Sprint

Sprint Planning Topic One (Why)

  • Proposes where the value is for the product and the outcomes intended for the Sprint
  • Works as part of the Scrum Team to understand the value and form the Sprint Goal

Sprint Planning Topic Two (What)

  • Supports the Development Team to provide context and answer any questions as part of the Scrum Team

Sprint Planning Topic Three (How)

  • Provides clarification for the Development Team about the selected Product Backlog items

During The Sprint (Product Backlog Refinement)

  • Collaborates with the Development Team to refine the details of Product Backlog items
  • Can refine and adjust Product Backlog items as often as needed to add more detail, reorder and break down high level items into smaller, and more consumable items
  • Clarifies Product Backlog items and can select trade-offs as the Development Team provides estimates

Sprint Review

  • Collaborates as part of the Scrum Team with the stakeholders to determine what was done in the Sprint
  • Invites key stakeholders
  • Explains which Product Backlog items have been done and which ones have not
  • Projects likely completion dates based upon the progress so far
  • Collaborates as part of the Scrum Team with the stakeholders to determine what to work on next as an input to the next Sprint Planning event
  • Collaborates as part of the Scrum Team to adapt the Definition of Done
  • Participates as part of the Scrum Team to review how the market place or potential use of the product may have changed, and what is the most valuable thing to do next
  • Participates as part of the Scrum Team to review the timeline, budget, potential capabilities and market place for the next anticipated release of the product

Sprint Retrospective

  • Collaborates as part of the Scrum Team to inspect itself and determine improvements that can be implemented in the next Sprint

Attributes

The key Attributes of a Product Owner include:

  • Domain knowledge is very helpful when working with the Development Team to provide accurate clarification to their questions
  • Empowered to make decisions will improve the speed of decision making rather than having to report back to stakeholders or senior figures in an organisation
  • Willingness to adapt and make difficult scoping decisions will make the difference between failure and a successful outcome
  • Collaboration is key when working with the Development Team effectively
  • Confidence in the Scrum Teams’ abilities to work through problems even when things are ambiguous will help to provide consistent direction for The Scrum Team rather than distract and exacerbate issues
  • Transparency is key when working with stakeholders even if the news is not favourable and an adaptation is needed

Practical Tips

Empowered Product Owner Successful Product Owners will have the backing of the organisation behind them to be empowered to make their own decisions without having to report back to a steering committee or similar.

They will have the independent authority to change content, set the priorities, release dates and vision etc.

Not The Only Decision Maker A number of organisations tend to think of the Product Owner role as the single person accountable for the product and the only person who can make product based decisions, however, this is really a shared responsibility within the Scrum Team that balances both the customer needs (via the Product Owner) and the technical capabilities (via the Development Team). Hence, the Scrum Team collaborates together to form the right decisions with respect to the needs and the capabilities.
Vision and Roadmap Although not specifically mentioned in The Scrum Guide, it may be helpful for Product Owners to craft a high level vision and potential roadmap that captures their strategic view that indicates the Sprint objectives and why.

Such a vision would need to be updated and adjusted relatively often to remain useful, but may provide a mechanism for a Product Owner to be more proactive and consider their strategic views rather than only considering what is done from one Sprint to the next in a somewhat reactionary and tactical way. It may also be helpful for the Development Team to understand the longer term intent.

For more information on the role, consult the Scrum Guide.

See Also

Retrieved from "https://agileme.wiki/wiki/index.php?title=Product_Owner&oldid=1426"