The Product Owner role (PO)

The Product Owner is one of the three fundamental roles in the Scrum methodology. Their primary responsibility is to maximise the business value of the product and, by extension, the work of the development team.

Product manager first

The PO stays focused on the product. They are responsible for product coherence and the business value of deliverables. They hold a vision of the value to be produced, but don't necessarily know all the technical details to get there. Core responsibilities:

• Define features and their acceptance criteria
• Prioritise backlog items to meet objectives with the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) in mind
• Ensure visibility of the backlog to all stakeholders and the team

The Definition of Done

The PO shares with the team the responsibility for the Definition of Done: the set of requirements common to the entire backlog that validate a feature's completeness, shared with all project stakeholders. Without a clear DoD, the notion of 'done' remains ambiguous and a source of conflict.

A consensus-builder, not a committee

Their work establishes ongoing consensus between stakeholders and shields the team from interference caused by diverging viewpoints. The Product Owner is a single person — never a committee. Any backlog change must go through their validation to ensure organisational and business coherence.

A role that requires dedicated time

While commitment to a single project is preferable, the PO must have clearly allocated time. This role cannot be an additional task bolted onto another position. Essential qualities:

• Available for the team during Scrum events and day-to-day
• Committed to writing specifications, testing and collaborating with stakeholders
• Autonomous without daily hierarchical pressure, maintaining product-centred objectivity
• Attentive and collaborative with strong listening skills and empathy
• Stable to protect the team and maintain focus on objectives
• A leader sharing ambition and vision with all stakeholders