“Why do I need a product owner?”, this is a question that many business owners and executives have asked. If you are asking this question you are likely considering whether or not a piece of software needs to be built. At this point questions such as "What are we building?" "Why are we making this?" and "How will we create it?" are both natural questions to start with and also the most important questions to ask. A product owner can assist you in the process of finding answers.
“Take note of the word “alignment;” you’ll find it appears many times within the role of a product owner (PO).”
At the start of a project, a product owner (PO) researches the domain of the company and the potential software users. This usually includes a deep dive into the company building the software, dozens of conversations, and several meetings with key stakeholders. The information learned in this phase (often called the "Discovery phase") is critical to ensure alignment between the industry's atmosphere, business goals, and user needs. The right solution always comes from a deeply informed perspective.
A product owner then directs the software team, detailing what will be built and delineating the priorities between features within the software. A healthy relationship between a PO and his development team is critical, allowing for developers to present innovative solutions that the PO can then compare to knowledge gathered during Discovery Phase.
Throughout the process, product owners must empathize deeply with user pain and company goals. In order to do this, the PO must stay close to the software users and business stakeholders. Weekly meetings with the stakeholders are normal and help to strengthen that alignment between software feature and business/user need.
The role of product owner is central to the success of any software project. By working with stakeholders, users, and the development team, a PO brings an informed and empathetic perspective that creates alignment at all points within the development process.