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Every Agile Product Owner works efficiently to develop a suitable Agile environment using Product Strategy, Scrum methodologies, and Product Roadmap. The Product Owner works closely with the Scrum Master and Developers to achieve the goals of the organization. Managing and collaborating with the Developers isn’t as easy as it might seem. Product Owners utilize their skill sets to fully perform their responsibilities alongside working with developer teams. This guide will discuss practical ways a Product Owner can collaborate with developer teams efficiently!

Key Responsibilities Of A Product Owner:

Product Owners, being the key project stakeholders, are responsible for crucial project delivery activities, including:

• Define the Product Goal and Product Features
• Collect feedback from other stakeholders and end users
• Ensure the Agile Developers follow organizational guidelines
• Take care of oversea product development activities
• Collaborate with the Scrum Master and Scrum Team
• Create User Stories for the developer’s reference
• Manage Product Backlog Item (PBI) Development process

The product owners are responsible for ensuring the Scrum Team understands the overall Transformation vision. They maintain the Product Backlog to deliver quality outcomes to the end users and stakeholders. To fulfill all the above responsibilities, the Product Owner has to work closely with the Developers and Certified Scrum Master. Now, let’s discuss how they can establish smooth collaboration with the Developers.

1. Clarify The Product Vision In The Daily Scrum

The Product Owner must convey the product’s strategic vision to the Developers, Scrum Team, and Scrum Master. The most effective way to do it is by attending the Daily Scrum meeting. In this meeting, the Scrum Master does Sprint Review and Sprint Planning. It’s an excellent opportunity for the Product Owner to represent his Product Vision to all the meeting attendees, including:

• His vision for the final product outcome
• Specify the Product Goal for Development
• Explain how different the product is from other products
• Explain the Product Roadmap for the Developers to follow
• Build a profitable Product Strategy that targets the right audience
• Highlight the product’s usefulness and features from the end user's perspective

Once the Product Owner’s vision is clearly explained, the Developers act as the Definition of Ready to build the best product! They use their technical knowledge and development expertise to support the Product Vision. Based on that, they can define their development commitments in the Daily Scrum and follow the Product Roadmap accordingly!

2. Contribute To The Product Development Stages

When the Developers build a new product, they follow a Product Roadmap to ensure it is appropriately designed, developed, tested, and implemented. The Product Owner can participate in the product development life cycle, including:

• Idea generation: Developers brainstorm product concept ideas that the Product Owner conveys to the stakeholders.
• Product definition: Define the Product Goal and Scope so that the Developers identify success metrics for Product Development.
• Prototyping: Create a proof-of-concept product version that aligns with the development strategy of the Scrum Alliance Master and Scrum Team. 
• Initial design: Follow the initially drafted product version to collect feedback from end users and stakeholders.
• Validation and testing: Based on User Stories, confirm if every part of the product is functional before its public release.
• Commercialization: Collaborate with the Agile Developers for the product launch in the end.

Product owners must follow the above process to make the development process go as planned. They must communicate well with the Developers throughout the product development life cycle and give necessary directions.

3. Handle Product Backlog Efficiently

The Product Owner and the team of Developers are equally responsible for developing and managing the Product Backlog Item (PBI). The Product Backlog is an excellent project development planning tool, representing the project's Product Roadmap in precise detail. It offers a clear picture of the final product to help the Developers understand and plan the following steps:

• Improve Sprint Planning to clear Sprint Backlog
• Create a transparent product development process
• Organize tasks to reach the Sprint Goal
• Ensure Developers meet project deadlines
• Prioritize delivery to satisfy the stakeholder requests
• Keep a clear trans about the development progress

The Certified Scrum Product Owner must ensure that every Developer is at the same pace. With a clear Product Goal, the product development will be completed at the right time.

Summing Up: Get The Development Work Done Faster!

The Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Developers act as an Agile Practitioner. The final product's design, implementation, and delivery aren’t just the Product Owner’s responsibility. Understanding the Product Vision, all Agile Developers must work collaboratively with each other to achieve the end Product Goal. Professionals can also take Agile Training for Learning purposes and improve their collaborative skills. Surely, Product Owners can work closely with the Developers and deliver the best products to the end users!

Reference

1. https://www.droptica.com/blog/communication-between-product-owner-and-dev-team/
2. https://asana.com/resources/product-owner