The overarching goal of the Product Owner role is to maximize the value of a product, and for this purpose, they are also accountable for outcomes within the agile Scrum framework. Product Owners always strive to prioritize the interests of end-users. The tasks include the following focal points:
Development of Product Vision & Strategy: The Product Owner develops the product vision, which is the ideal image of the product that guides the direction of development and informs product decisions. From the vision, a product strategy is crafted, outlining a high-level plan to achieve the envisioned goal. This strategy includes information about the target audience and the product's val ue proposition. The Product Vision and Strategy are regularly reviewed and communicated by the Product Owner to foster a shared understanding among all stakeholders.
Requirement Management & Prioritization: The way the Product Owner maximizes the value of a product involves continuously making decisions about what the product should and should not contain to align with the planned product vision. Product Owners clarify, define, articulate, and prioritize the requirements for the product.
Product Backlog Management: The Product Owner is responsible for managing the Product Backlog - a kind of list of all requirements for the product. This includes providing clear descriptions of the requirements, known as User Stories, and prioritizing elements in the Product Backlog to determine what should be worked on next. The PO can delegate these tasks to others but rem ains ultimately responsible for the outcomes. They ensure that the backlog is current, transparent, and understandable for all team members so that everyone knows what is next on the agenda.
Stakeholder Management & Communication: Regular engagement with all stakeholder groups is a vital aspect of the Product Owner's role. They serve as a crucial interface between the development team and other stakeholders or the customer. The PO collaborates with the SCRUM team to assess the feasibility of requirements, fosters a shared understanding of User Stories during refinement, fac ilitates joint decision-making, and addresses technical questions about the product during implementation. Additionally, POs maintain regular communication with other stakeholders to understand their expectations or interests, refine product requirements, and gather feedback.