Scrum guide · The Scrum Team
What Is a Product Owner in Scrum? Role and Must-Have Skills
The Product Owner is accountable for maximising the value of the product resulting from the Scrum Team's work. They decide what the team works on next, and why, by managing the Product Backlog.
Key takeaways
- The Product Owner maximises value through the Product Backlog.
- They own the Product Goal and backlog order.
- Decisiveness, empathy and availability are essential.
Accountabilities
- Developing and explicitly communicating the Product Goal.
- Creating and clearly communicating Product Backlog items.
- Ordering Product Backlog items.
- Ensuring the Product Backlog is transparent, visible and understood.
The Product Owner may delegate some of this work, but remains accountable. Their decisions are visible in the content and order of the Product Backlog and in the Increment.
A typical week
- Talking with customers and stakeholders.
- Refining backlog items with Developers.
- Taking part in Sprint Planning to propose how the Sprint can increase value.
- Answering questions during the Sprint.
- Leading the conversation about what to do next at the Sprint Review.
- Analysing usage data and business results.
Must-have skills
- Decisiveness: making and owning prioritisation decisions.
- Customer empathy: understanding real user needs.
- Communication: explaining the why behind priorities.
- Negotiation: balancing stakeholder demands and saying no.
- Analytical thinking: using data to measure value.
- Domain knowledge of the market and product.
- Availability: being there for the team.
Product Owner vs product manager
In many organisations the Product Owner is also the product manager. In larger ones, a product manager may focus on market strategy while Product Owners work closely with teams. See the Agile product manager.
Pitfalls
- A proxy Product Owner with no real authority.
- Writing detailed specifications instead of collaborating.
- Treating the backlog as a wish list rather than an ordered plan.
- Being unavailable to the team.
Free templates for this topic
Frequently asked questions
Who does the Product Owner report to?
Scrum doesn't define reporting lines. What matters is that the organisation respects the Product Owner's decisions.
Can the Product Owner write user stories?
Yes, though anyone can add items to the Product Backlog. The Product Owner decides their order.
What does a Product Owner do?
The Product Owner maximises the value of the product by developing and communicating the Product Goal, creating and ordering Product Backlog items and keeping the backlog transparent and understood.
What is the difference between a Product Owner and a product manager?
Product manager is a job title found in many organisations; Product Owner is a Scrum accountability. Often one person does both, though some organisations split strategy and team-level backlog work.
Does the Product Owner attend the Daily Scrum?
The Daily Scrum is for the Developers. The Product Owner attends as a participant only if they are actively working on Sprint Backlog items; otherwise they may be available but should not take it over.
Can a Product Owner cancel a Sprint?
Yes. Only the Product Owner has the authority to cancel a Sprint, which is done if the Sprint Goal becomes obsolete. See the Sprint cycle.
Does the Product Owner decide how much work goes into a Sprint?
No. The Product Owner proposes how the Sprint could increase value, but the Developers select how much they can take on during Sprint Planning.
Can the Product Owner change priorities during a Sprint?
They can re-order the Product Backlog at any time, but should not make changes that endanger the current Sprint Goal. Scope within the Sprint may be clarified and renegotiated with the Developers.
How many teams can one Product Owner support?
When several Scrum Teams work on the same product, the Scrum Guide says they share one Product Owner. How many teams that person can effectively support depends on the product and how much they delegate.
What makes a good Product Owner?
Decisiveness, customer understanding, clear communication, negotiation skills and enough availability to work closely with the team. Real authority to make product decisions is essential.
Is there a Product Owner certification?
Yes. Common options include Scrum.org's PSPO and Scrum Alliance's CSPO. See Scrum certification and training.