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 PO qualities, understands the PO responsibilities, and displays important PO 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 PO 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 PO cannot be overstated. The PO 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 PO 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 PO 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 PO 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 PO 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 PO role. A good PO 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 PO. They accept responsibility for the product, are committed and available, and act like a Scrum team member. A good PO is not afraid to take ownership and ensures that the team is focused on the right priorities.
In conclusion, being a good PO is a challenging role that requires a combination of above mentioned qualities, responsibilities, and characteristics. To be successful, a PO 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 PO can create a culture of empathy, support, and growth that drives the product towards better economics and maximizes the value for stakeholders.
