Product Ownership 2.0: Navigating the New Demands of Agile Leadership
Many Agile organizations wildly misunderstand the crucial role of the Product Owner. Historically the role focused on being the voice of the customer for a development team. However, the exponential pace of the digital age requires today's Product Owners to be genuine product leaders by maintaining continuous alignment with broader groups of stakeholders while utilizing sophisticated techniques that solicit rapid feedback. This interactive tutorial will explore tools for communicating with the Product Owner's three primary constituents - Leadership, Customers, and Development Teams. First, we will use OKRs (Objectives & Key Results) to create a motivating and measurable product goal that aligns with the strategic objectives of senior leadership. Next, we will employ Design Thinking to empathize with customers' pain points and validate the right problems to solve. Finally, we will build a User Story Map to establish a shared understanding with the development team and plan an iterative release strategy. By the end of the session, you will gain an appreciation for the multiple dimensions of the modern Product Owner and be equipped with several new skills to ensure your success.
For the last 20+ years, Steven has been a leader in the Tampa Bay technology scene. Most recently, he served as the Managing Director of Transformation & Innovation at the software consultancy AgileThought. After helping to sell the firm in 2019 and take it public in 2021, he founded Compass Productivity to apply his expertise in strategic execution to fast-growing, ambitious organizations. Steven specializes in helping organizational leaders to execute their strategic initiatives by applying principles from the productivity and agile movements. He has repeated success helping growth-oriented companies to scale their delivery operations and product development efforts to match their business objectives.