If a company decides to use Scrum for product development in the context of digital transformation, conflicts often arise with regard to product responsibility. These are shown by the fact that, for example, the product owner is too involved in the operational activities and thus does not find time to maintain the roadmap or the strategy. In order for Scrum to have its full effect, the responsibilities around the product must be clarified in the team. Ensure that no aspect of product ownership is neglected.
Compared to classic project management, product responsibility lies not only with one person, but with the entire team. However, the Scrum Guide does not describe the exact distribution of this responsibility. As a framework, this merely provides a framework that is filled with life by the team. If the team has gaps in product ownership, product development inevitably stalls and the project is in jeopardy.
The team of “Die Produktwerker” has dedicated itself to the topic of product ownership and has itself written a definition for this: “Product ownership is “taking responsibility for the product in its own context. And to know and decide at all times what is the most valuable thing we have to work on with focus.”
In their work with clients, they have developed what they call the Product Ownership Evolution Model, which provides a visual guide for clarifying responsibilities in a product development team. In this process, the current status of the product ownership is placed next to a desired target image and the path to this goal is defined.