The Heart of Scrum: People

Projects are done by people, for people. The agile philosophy emphasizes close collaboration between two key groups:

  • The project team, who builds the product.
  • The project clients, who benefit from it.

One of the most crucial roles in this collaboration is the Product Owner.

The Product Owner: A Central Role in Scrum

The Product Owner holds the responsibility for managing the product backlog and making all key decisions related to it. This role is critical for the success of the project.

What does the Product Owner do?

  1. Defines and Validates Requirements:
    • Gathers and documents user stories and epics.
    • Ensures the backlog reflects all necessary functionalities and priorities.
  2. Prioritizes the Product Backlog:
    • Decides which user stories should be built first and which can wait.
    • Adjusts priorities as the project evolves, ensuring the most valuable tasks come first.
  3. Reviews and Validates Outputs:
    • At the end of each sprint, the Product Owner checks the deliverables to ensure they meet the agreed requirements.
    • Provides constructive feedback if something doesn’t meet the expected standards.
  4. Approves the Final Product:
    • At the end of the project, the Product Owner gives the final approval, ensuring the product is ready for release.

Who Can Be a Product Owner?

Usually, the Product Owner represents the organization for which the product is being created—essentially, the project client. This person needs a strategic vision and domain expertise.

Common roles that might act as Product Owner include:

  • Head of Sales
  • Head of Marketing
  • Head of IT, etc.

The Product Owner needs to be hands-on throughout the entire project, working closely with the team, reviewing progress, and adapting to changes when necessary.

The Power to Adapt

In Agile, requirements can change. The Product Owner plays a key role in approving changes and adjusting priorities between sprints. If a high-value user story emerges, it’s the Product Owner’s job to bring it forward, ensuring the project remains focused on delivering value.