Agile Product Management with Scrum: Creating Products that Customers Love

6. Transitioning into the Product Owner Role

When I met Paul, a first-time product owner, he asked me, “What do I really have to do and how much time will it require?” Paul explained that he wanted to double-check his day-to-day responsibilities. He was especially worried about the time commitment he had to make and the support he would get from his boss. Paul is not unique. Many new product owners are not clear about their responsibilities and are unsure how to best transition into their new role. Being a first-time product owner can be challenging, and it often requires personal and organizational changes. These changes can be difficult, even painful at times. This chapter speaks directly to readers transitioning into the role and to managers ...