Do you know how to be a good Product Owner?

The client is generally the Product Owner (PO). They should read the Scrum Guide and watch the Product Owner video to understand their role. It is so important to the success of their project:

Video: What is a 'Product Owner'? - Scrum Guide (2 min)

What are the key factors for a good Product Owner?

1. Product Vision - The PO understands the product's vision
   The Product Owner should have a deep understanding of the product's vision, goals, and business value, and be able to communicate this clearly to both the development team and stakeholders.
2. Decision-Making Authority - The PO has the authority to make key decisions
   The Product Owner must have the authority to make decisions regarding product features, priorities, and scope to keep the project moving forward.
3. Prioritization and Backlog Management - The PO is skilled at prioritizing and managing the backlog
   A strong Product Owner excels at backlog management, making tough decisions on what features to prioritize to maximize ROI and deliver business value. They should ensure the backlog is always aligned with changing business needs and available resources.

4. Communication and Collaboration - The PO can communicate and collaborate effectively
   The Product Owner must be an effective communicator with both technical and non-technical stakeholders, translating business needs into technical requirements and explaining complexities back to the business. They should also collaborate closely with stakeholders, developers, and the Scrum Master to ensure everyone is aligned on goals and priorities. They should be adept at negotiating scope and timelines when necessary. They should also understand Product Backlog Items (PBIs) and be able to explain what they want using Acceptance Criteria. This is the main way that developers and POs sync their understanding of what needs to be done.

   Note: It is helpful for developers to distinguish acceptance criteria between what is considered "essential" and what is merely "nice to have," as this can prevent them from investing excessive time in meeting non-essential criteria.

5. Availability and Commitment - The PO is available and committed to the team
   The Product Owner must be available to the team regularly to answer questions, provide feedback, and make decisions quickly. Their commitment to participating in Sprint Reviews, Retrospectives and Sprint Planning meetings and staying connected to the team's progress (such as through Daily Scrums) is crucial to maintaining momentum. A good PO has a feeling of urgency!

Who should be the Product Owner?

It is recommended that the Product Owner is from the client - here is why:

1. Deep Business Knowledge
   A client-side PO typically has a strong understanding of the business, its goals, and its customers. They are more likely to have insights into the strategic priorities and the nuances of the market the product serves.
2. Stakeholder Relationships
   They already have established relationships with key stakeholders, which can facilitate smoother communication and decision-making.
3. Long-term Vision
   As an insider, they are more likely to be invested in the long-term success of the product, beyond just the current project scope.
4. Quick Decision-Making
   A client-side PO will have faster access to executives and other decision-makers, which can speed up the approval process for changes or feature prioritization.

It’s possible to outsource the role of PO to someone in the development consulting company, but this is not recommended ("don’t put the fox in charge of the chickens").

Being a PO can seem daunting to some, especially if they don't have a lot of Scrum experience. It is recommended that all PO's read the Scrum Guide, watched the Product Owner video, and understand the role.

“Most dysfunction I see in Scrum teams is caused by a bad Product Owner”

Adam Cogan - Professional Scrum Trainer, Scrum.org, during a TechEd session

What about the Scrum Master?

It is recommended that the Scrum Master is from the development consultant company and supports the Product Owner in the Agile practices. See Does your Scrum Master support the Product Owner?