A Product Owner (PO) is a role on a Scrum team. Scrum is an Agile software development framework that emphasizes team collaboration and interactive work.
A Scrum team is small, cross-functional and self-organizing team work together to bring the product to life. When Scrum, a software development framework, is used, the team is referred to as a Scrum Team. A Scrum Team consists of individuals who have all the skills necessary to develop the needed work.
A Scrum Team typically consists of ~10 people and is made up of
- a product owner,
- a scrum master,
- and a number of other roles that make up the rest of the self-organizing team.
Though not outlined by the Scrum Guide, the rest of team may consist of frontend and backend developers, quality assurance (QA), business analyst (BA), and architects.
In Scrum, a product owner (PO) serves as the liaison between the development team and business stakeholders. These stakeholders include the users, supporters, and those impacted by the product.
A product owner has a clear product vision and understands why the product is being built, the problem it aims to solve, and for whom. It is the PO’s responsibility to compare information that is gathered and compare it with the business goals, in order to maximize the current and future work that is to be completed A product owner interacts with these stakeholders and gains insights through techniques such as interviews, A/B testing, and market research. As a liason, a product owner conveys what the stakeholders want and shares feedback with the the Scrum team. A PO works to ensure that there is a clear understanding amongst stakeholders and the team in the form of clear communication, a transparent, prioritized backlog (items of work to be done), and a strategic product roadmap.
To recap, a product owner’s main responsibilities are:
- Serve as a liaison between business stakeholders, scrum team, and end users.
- Create and maintain a healthy, transparent backlog of work to be done.
- Hold and communicate the product’s vision and roadmap.
- Maximize the value of work done that is done.
Looking to learn how to break into a product owner role? Check out our free 8 Step Guide.
