“No one can serve two masters: he will either hate one and love the other, or he will be attached to one and despise the other.” (Matthew 6:24).
This quote from the Bible finds particular resonance when we look at the role of the Product Owner (PO) in agile product development.
There is an alarming trend of assigning the PO title to individuals for hierarchical reasons rather than actual skills. This has led to terms such as “PO Technical”, “PO Business” or “PO Proxy” to attempt to categorize these hybrid roles.
Impacts of the Dilution of the Product Owner Role
The poorly understood and sometimes misused role of the PO can lead to role dilution and product backlog issues, such as poorly defined or poorly prioritized User Stories. This can also create situations where the PO is simply a spokesperson rather than a true product leader.
A study by the Scrum Alliance (2022) reveals that teams that do not have a clearly defined PO are 60% more likely to fail to deliver high-quality products on time.
Solutions to Counteract the Dilution of the Product Owner Role
A potential solution to this problem is to go back to the basics of the PO role. We must favor individuals with the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of a PO rather than choosing individuals for their hierarchical position.
To cite an example, at Spotify, each team has a dedicated PO who has in-depth knowledge of the product and the customer base, and who can therefore effectively guide product development (Kniberg and Skarin, 2015).
Conclusion: Towards a Clear Redefinition of the Product Owner
The role of the Product Owner has often been misinterpreted, leading to a dilution of responsibilities. This phenomenon hampers the efficiency of product development.
It is essential to return to the fundamentals of the PO: choosing competent individuals who know the product well, rather than for their hierarchical status. Companies that have adopted this approach, like Spotify, have seen their product management improve significantly.
By reaffirming the role and responsibilities of the PO, we will be able to be more successful in our agile projects.