Product owners are the authority in the product development and the public face of the product. They are in charge of guiding and managing the team towards success. Without a product manager in place there are a few challenges that a Scrum team will face such as:
- They struggle to clearly identify goals and deliverables.
- They get information from a variety of sources without the ability to discern what is key to the project.
- They lack the accountability within the larger organization to finish the work on time.
With a product owner in place, they become the single source of information for the team. When there is conflict, they will be the number one point of contact for those issues and resolving them. This way there is always some type of organization and stability in the workplace. According to an article from smartsheet.com, for a product owner to be effective, there are key skills that they must possess in order for them and their team to be successful:
- Leadership
- Communication
- Delegation
- Conflict Resolution
- Stakeholder Management
- Product and Development Experience
- Customer and Market Insight
- Tactical
Product Owner in Technology
There are a few aspects of being a product owner in regards to the technology that are crucial for the position. Product managers are responsible for understanding what the customer needs to get done and prioritizing those needs. They then must clarify those needs with both the customer and the development team. They manage all the tasks that were stated in the user stories rather than relying on a requirement list. They ensure that what is being developed for the client will add value to the software.
All in all, the product manager is responsible for creating a roadmap for the project. They are focused on completing the project in a specific timeframe and making sure that what has been completed matches the customers needs and values.