Nowadays, we hear more and more about agile working and organizational-level agile transformations. Is the future of our company in agility?
Agile - as opposed to methodological and model-based approaches - is more of a way of thinking or a rich framework from which we can draw for our growth.
The document that officially laid the foundations of agile was written in February 2001. Its authors formulated recommendations based on the software development failures of previous decades and named the list of 12 principles and 4 values the Agile Manifesto .
One of the most common trends in the agile framework is the so-called Scrum, which borrowed its name from a rugby formation and was originally intended as a software development project management methodology. However, Scrum quickly proved its strength and raison d'être, not only in the ICT era, but also in the fields of commerce, pharmaceuticals, logistics or marketing.
Scrum offers simple rules, but adhering to them and harnessing their power requires true art and high professional standards.
To this end, Scrum prescribes not only certain ceremonies, but also specific roles, with precise tasks and powers ( Scrum Master , Product Owner or Development Team ). Each of these is very important and only their coordinated play can result in the frequent, high-quality delivery of our products and services, based on values that are directly perceptible to the customer.
One of the most mentioned roles in agile is the Product Owner (PO) , as the "owner of the product". However, this should not be taken literally, there is no ownership relationship, the Product Owner is a kind of primary expert of the product or service, who makes his decisions according to maximizing customer value and the highest priorities.
These decisions are not made by a dictator, but rather act as a servant leader , helping the team to focus their joint work on the elements that are most valuable to the customers. The Product Owner is the primary and most important gateway to customer contact, his task is to recognize the (possibly still latent) needs of his customers and optimize the work invested. He is the one who must always know what the most important work element is at the moment.
It may have already become clear that being a Product Owner is not easy, as the challenges ahead are increasingly complex. A good Product Owner is also a visionary, a bridge between business and technical areas, and must be able to assess the real business value associated with each need. All this responsibly, making decisions almost every minute, while supporting the team, participating in agile ceremonies, and following through on all customer questions.
This is not just any challenge, is it? I'm interested in the details of what exactly the roles of a Product Owner are, and how they can simultaneously make decisions in the best interests of the team and meet the needs of customers? For example, does a PO really have the right to say no to top management in a large company? How can someone be a servant leader and a leader who makes responsible decisions at the same time?
If you want to know what a good Product Owner is like, and whether it is worth creating such a role in your company, come to our Product Owner training and learn more in our interactive, practice-oriented programs! No, you don't need to know how to program, as the agile approach and the Product Owner role can be applied in all fields of expertise - whether you are a sole proprietor or a company owner. If you still feel like programming, during our interactive trainings, LEGO Mindstorms robots can also come up at any time to deepen the agile theory or everyday real-life case studies...
At Training360, we believe that the knowledge gained in theory needs time to be integrated into everyday life, so there is also the possibility of follow-up consultation opportunities after the training.