Jeff Sutherland, the co-creator of Scrum says: “The Product Owner is the CEO of the Product”. Therefore, it’s important to choose the right person for the job. Are you ready to take on the role of a Product Owner? Or are you in search of a Product Owner who possesses good product owner qualities, understands the product owner responsibilities, and displays important product owner characteristics?
As a Product Owner (PO), you are the central point of product leadership. You are responsible for maximizing the value of the product and driving it towards better economics. But being a good product owner is not just about achieving results, it’s about building a culture of empathy, support, and growth. Let’s take a look at the qualities, responsibilities, and characteristics of a good product owner.
The importance of the role of a product owner cannot be overstated. The product owner is the single voice for communicating what to build and in what order to build it. They are responsible for marshalling people and resources to ensure stakeholder value is delivered. A good product owner ensures that the team works on the most valuable backlog items and accepts the completed work in a timely manner. They have the same goal as the team and work to maximize the return on investment.
One of the most important responsibilities of a product owner is to manage the product backlog. This involves prioritizing the product backlog and ensuring that it is shared with the team and stakeholders. A good product owner also shares the product vision to align business and the team. They define acceptance criteria and verify that they are met, collaborate with the development team, and collaborate with the stakeholders.
A good product owner possesses certain characteristics that set them apart from the rest. They have domain skills and are visionary. They understand that everything cannot be anticipated and have business, technology, and domain expertise. They also have people skills, which enable them to establish good relationships with stakeholders, negotiate and build consensus, communicate effectively, and motivate the team.
Decision-making is another critical aspect of the product owner role. A good product owner is empowered to make decisions, willing to make hard decisions, and is decisive. They take an economic view to balance business and technical issues.
Lastly, accountability is essential for a good product owner. They accept responsibility for the product, are committed and available, and act like a Scrum team member. A good product owner is not afraid to take ownership and ensures that the team is focused on the right priorities.
In conclusion, being a good product owner is a challenging role that requires a combination of above mentioned qualities, responsibilities, and characteristics. To be successful, a product owner must be a visionary with business, technology, and domain expertise, possess people skills, be a good decision-maker, and be accountable for the product. By doing so, a good product owner can create a culture of empathy, support, and growth that drives the product towards better economics and maximizes the value for stakeholders.
