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Accountabilities

Product Owner

Official Role

The person responsible for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team.

Plain English explanation

The Product Owner decides what the team should build and in what order. They focus on delivering the most valuable work first.

Why it matters

Without clear priorities, teams waste time. The Product Owner ensures the team always works on what matters most.

How it works

They manage the Product Backlog, define priorities, and communicate with stakeholders to ensure the team builds the right things.

Example

If users are struggling with login, the Product Owner prioritizes fixing that before adding new features.

Common misunderstanding

The Product Owner is not just a note-taker or middleman. They are responsible for value decisions.

Key points

  • Owns the Product Backlog
  • Prioritizes work based on value
  • Represents stakeholders
  • Ensures clarity of requirements

Official source

Based on Scrum Guide 2020.

Visit official Scrum Guide