Product owner: What does it take?

Demystifying the role of the product owner in your organization

What does a product owner actually do? Is this key role well-defined in your organization?

For many teams, the actual responsibilities of a product owner are often unclear. Why is this?

A recent article in The Silicon Valley Product Group (SVPG) entitled, The Product Manager Contribution , by Marty Cagan, explains that the reason for this lack of clarity is because the contribution may not be making a significant impact or affecting change in the organization. Another reason could be because a product manager simply cannot connect their actions to concrete results.

According to Cagan, the product owner or manager must be able to contribute on the following levels:

1. Deep Knowledge of the Customer
2. Deep Knowledge of the Business
3. Deep Knowledge of the Industry
4. Getting to know Customers
5. Motivating Teams

Share your thoughts: What makes a good product owner? Are there any other critical components missing from this list?

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