What is the role of the Product Owner in a Scrum Team?

The role of the Product Owner is primarily to decide what to build. This includes defining and prioritizing the product backlog, which is a dynamic list of features, enhancements, bug fixes, and technical work that is required to deliver a successful product. The Product Owner works closely with stakeholders and customers to understand their needs and ensure that the team is delivering value. By making informed decisions about the product backlog, the Product Owner helps the Scrum Team focus on delivering the most important features first and aligns the team's work with the overall vision and goals for the product.

This central responsibility is essential because it enables the team to understand the priorities and the context of their work, ultimately leading to more efficient development cycles and better outcomes for the customers. It emphasizes the Product Owner’s role as the voice of the customer and the manager of the product's vision rather than as a conventional manager of the team’s performance or facilitator of meetings. These other roles are typically covered by the Scrum Master, who supports and guides the team, rather than by the Product Owner.