During the Project
The Product Owner is the keeper and prioritizer of the Product Backlog. This is a continuous task, as priorities will change with each iteration, or Sprint. He will also inspect what the team considers to be a finished work item and determine whether all the acceptance criteria have been met, that is, the work is “done”. This also applies to the deliverables from the Sprint as a whole. When this point is reached, the Product Owner calls for a Review Meeting, where the results of the Sprint are communicated to the stakeholders and any other interested parties.
On Completion
Once the project is completed and the product is delivered, the Product Owner can return to his normal work. The challenge is that a really successful Product Owner is probably more valuable to the company in the product development sphere than in his appointed job, and he may be needed for the next project, based on his success.
The Successful Product Owner
The successful Product Owner is completely committed to the project. His autonomy and authority is recognised by all the stakeholders and not diminished by commands and interference from outside the project.
He both orchestrates and contributes to the definition of the product, either by co-opting the appropriate subject matter experts to provide epics and user stories, or by giving such information directly, based on his own experience. By prioritising the contents of the Product Backlog (the stories), he could be regarded as the editor of an anthology of short stories about the product, which, when read in their entirety, reveal the complete product. His guidance throughout the project and each Sprint will enable the team to produce the best possible product that meets the original specification.
Recommended Further Reading
The following materials may assist you in order to get the most out of this course: