Which statement best describes a Product Owner's responsibility?

The Product Owner's primary responsibility is to optimize the value of the work done by the Development Team. This entails making strategic decisions on the product backlog, prioritizing items to ensure that the most valuable features are delivered first, and ensuring that the Development Team is focused on work that aligns with the overall business objectives.

By optimizing value, the Product Owner is tasked with understanding stakeholder needs, market trends, and the overall vision for the product, which informs their decisions on backlog items. This proactive engagement ensures that the Development Team’s efforts yield the highest possible return on investment, enhancing both customer satisfaction and business success.

In contrast, other roles, such as managers or technical leads, typically handle aspects like managing team performance or defining technical architecture, which do not fall under the Product Owner’s primary responsibilities. While the Product Owner may write user stories, it is not accurate to suggest that they must write all user stories, as collaboration with the Development Team and stakeholders is essential in refining and specifying backlog items.