By popular demand, after my article about the Scrum Master in plain language, this time an article about the Product Owner.
It’s Saturday night and you’re at a cozy family party. The atmosphere is good, the conversations are lively and you’ve just finished a delicious piece of cake. Then comes the inevitable question from a curious aunt: “What do you actually do for work?” You answer proudly: “I am a Product Owner.” There is a brief silence, followed by a polite smile and a slightly confused look in her eyes. “Product Owner? What is that?” she says softly. You understand her. It is not a professional title you hear every day, like doctor or teacher. And although you are passionate about your work and its importance in your team, you sometimes find it difficult to explain it in simple terms to someone who is not familiar with Scrum or even IT.
So here you are, ready to learn what a Product Owner (PO) is and how to better explain your role. Whether you’re a Product Owner yourself and looking for a better way to explain your role, or you’re just curious about what this role entails, this article is for you.
Using a few everyday examples, I will tell you what a Product Owner is. So the next time someone asks you what you do, you can give a clear and understandable answer!
The term “Product Owner” can be a bit misleading at first glance. No, it doesn’t mean that you own physical products or run some kind of store. The Product Owner (PO) role is much more dynamic and essential within Scrum, where teams work together to create a valuable product.
Example 1: The film director
In the magical world of filmmaking, the director is the person who brings the vision of the story to life on screen. With a script in hand and a clear vision in mind, the director steps onto the set, ready to create a masterpiece. Much like a Product Owner, the director has a vision and a clear goal for the project.
The director begins by carefully selecting his cast and crew, making sure that each member is talented and suited for the task. This is similar to how a Product Owner works with a Scrum team to ensure that the right people are on board to build a product.
Using the script as a guide, the director knows which scenes to film at what time, similar to how a Product Owner creates the product backlog1 Manages and prioritizes to ensure the team is working on the most valuable items. The director ensures clear communication so everyone knows what to expect, much like a Product Owner ensures clarity on what needs to be developed.
During the shoot, the director constantly receives feedback from his assistant directors, the camera crew and even the actors, and adjusts the scenes where necessary. Just like a Product Owner, who gathers feedback from the team, stakeholders and users to improve the product.
The director is also the liaison between the film set and the outside world, including producers and the studio. He or she ensures that the film’s vision is realized within budget and timeline, while also managing the interests and expectations of stakeholders. In a Scrum environment, the Product Owner acts as the primary liaison between the Scrum team and external stakeholders. The Product Owner ensures that their needs and expectations are understood and communicated to the team.
The role of a Product Owner is therefore similar to that of a director who guides his project through many challenges, with the ultimate goal of creating a successful product that adds value to users and meets stakeholders' expectations.
Example 2: The pilot of an airplane
Picture a big, impressive AirBus, gleaming in the morning sun on the runway, ready to fly to a distant destination. In the cockpit sits the pilot, with a clear flight path and a destination in mind. Like a Product Owner, the pilot has a vision and a clear goal for the journey.
The pilot has carefully planned the route in advance, knowing which course to fly to reach the destination safely and on time, similar to how a Product Owner sets direction and priorities by managing a product backlog. While the pilot does not personally fulfill every role on board, he is aware of what needs to be done and ensures that everyone on board understands their role, just as a Product Owner ensures clarity about what needs to be developed and by whom.
During the flight, the pilot communicates constantly with the co-pilot and the rest of the crew, to make sure everything is running smoothly. Like a pilot, the Product Owner also communicates a lot, but with the Scrum team, gathering feedback, and making the necessary adjustments to keep the work on track.
The pilot is also the link between the aircraft and the outside world. He communicates with air traffic control, other aircraft and the ground crew. In a Scrum environment, the Product Owner acts as the main link between the Scrum team and the external stakeholders, ensuring that the needs and expectations of the stakeholders are understood and communicated to the team, and vice versa.
When turbulence occurs or there are other challenges in the air (for example a storm on the route), it is the pilot who makes decisions to bring the plane safely to the destination via another route. Within Scrum you also have turbulent, stormy times from time to time and it is up to the Product Owner to adjust the course if necessary to still achieve the goals.
The role of a Product Owner is therefore similar to that of a pilot who guides his aircraft and crew through the many challenges of a flight, with the ultimate goal of reaching the intended destination safely and successfully.
In summary
The Product Owner is the person who knows what needs to be done to create value. They provide the vision and direction, and work with the team to realize that vision. They are the link between the customer’s needs and the work the team does, keeping everyone on the same page, and helping the team stay focused and productive.
Now that you have a basic understanding of what a Product Owner is, you’ll be better prepared for those curious questions at the next family party. And who knows, maybe you’ll even be inspired to learn more about Scrum and Agile!
Are you a Product Owner yourself? I'm curious how you explain your role to others!
Not a Product Owner? I’d love to hear if this article helped you understand it better!
See you next week!
With warm regards,
Mark ter Voert
- A Product Backlog is an ordered list of everything that is needed for the product. It is the single source of requirements for every change that needs to be made to the product. It includes feature descriptions, enhancements, engineering work, and fixes needed for outstanding bugs. The Product Owner is responsible for maintaining the Product Backlog, including prioritizing items based on value and importance to the project and its stakeholders. It is a living document that evolves as the product grows and new insights are gained. ↩︎
