After applying Agile methodology within a team, there might be a question regarding roles involved in the process. And when Scrum master role is kind of blurred, Product owner role is also may be misunderstood.
So, who they are and what are their main activities?
To put it short, a team – moreover, Scrum team – is somehow related to a fast car, where Product owner is taking over driver’s responsibility. And when powerful team can ensure the most fast result delivery, the quality of the result is defined by Product Owner.
Basically, the role of Product owner in Agile team is gathering a list of functions under its umbrella. The functions are the following:
1. Management of a product: a great Product Owner knows the needs of end-user audience, and moreover, knows the needs of a business
2. Management of a project: professional Product owner knows how to establish well-thought processes to ensure the best possible result within the most effective approach to a team work;
3. Management of requirements: an excellent Product Owner is more likely to fulfill the role of Business Analyst, because he or she knows how to gather, structure and manage requirements from the client or other department;
4. Management of the team motivation: yes, we are speaking about the ability to take over the role of a leader
It comes as no surprise that there is no perfect Product Owner at all. Because the equal possession of the skills listed above is kind of impossible. However, the understanding of the right approach may help any manager that came to fulfill the role to do things right.
The main thing that must be understood by a person who want to become a Product Owner is product vision. Product vision was described perfectly in a book by Roman Pichler – it’s called “Agile Product Management with Scrum”. What are the milestones? What are the questions that must be asked and then answered?
Well, here is the list of these questions:
What is the target group? Who will use the product?
What advantages will benefit the client?
What exactly are these benefits?
What are the main product’s attributes?
What about the budget?
After clear answers to these question Product owner will get the vision to “drive” the project and therefore product.