Clarifying the product owner role in large-scale agile environment
Rantanen, Tero (2022)
2022
All rights reserved. This publication is copyrighted. You may download, display and print it for Your own personal use. Commercial use is prohibited.
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2022052211013
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2022052211013
Tiivistelmä
Product Owner role is critical but often misunderstood role within modern product management. Despite the long journey of the agile frameworks since 1990’s, there can be different challenges especially when large organizations start to adapt scaled agile framework and implement required roles.
As an outcome of this thesis, I created a 12-point model that would help evaluate the product owner role in the target organization. This report can be used as a tool to increase the understanding and discussion of the different areas that impact to the product owner work in the current environment. It can support in creating right strategies for organization to manage the HR related challenges related to product and project management in scaled agile environment.
Main elements of the organizational role theory are used as a vehicle to structure the PO role study around the subject matter around product management and product development frameworks such as agile, scaled agile, lean and design thinking. Role theory offers an easy-to-understand way to decompose the otherwise complex matter.
The results are based on qualitative research made in the target organization where data content analysis was based on eight different interviews Research scope was to collect data for product owner related to relationships, role making process, role expectations and role related ambiguity, conflicts, and other related challenges. According to the results, the new way of working with scaled agile has improved things like transparency and lead time for smaller development items. The main challenges in terms of role ambiguity relates to product owner contribution to the strategic product management work. As there is lack of a common formal role description, there can be many different informal and self-established expectations on product owner. This can create role conflicts between product owner and their counter roles related to project management or business analysis related work. Also, things like other roles or previous roles of product owner have impact on the role behavior.
Suggestions for improvements are related to clarifying the PO formal role description especially related to product management and project management related responsibilities. Despite the positive experiences on agile, organization would benefit from further training of the scaled agile roles and lean and design thinking. Also, the product complexity, diversity of the stakeholders and maturity of the team has to be in balance with the available time and capabilities of the product owners.
As an outcome of this thesis, I created a 12-point model that would help evaluate the product owner role in the target organization. This report can be used as a tool to increase the understanding and discussion of the different areas that impact to the product owner work in the current environment. It can support in creating right strategies for organization to manage the HR related challenges related to product and project management in scaled agile environment.
Main elements of the organizational role theory are used as a vehicle to structure the PO role study around the subject matter around product management and product development frameworks such as agile, scaled agile, lean and design thinking. Role theory offers an easy-to-understand way to decompose the otherwise complex matter.
The results are based on qualitative research made in the target organization where data content analysis was based on eight different interviews Research scope was to collect data for product owner related to relationships, role making process, role expectations and role related ambiguity, conflicts, and other related challenges. According to the results, the new way of working with scaled agile has improved things like transparency and lead time for smaller development items. The main challenges in terms of role ambiguity relates to product owner contribution to the strategic product management work. As there is lack of a common formal role description, there can be many different informal and self-established expectations on product owner. This can create role conflicts between product owner and their counter roles related to project management or business analysis related work. Also, things like other roles or previous roles of product owner have impact on the role behavior.
Suggestions for improvements are related to clarifying the PO formal role description especially related to product management and project management related responsibilities. Despite the positive experiences on agile, organization would benefit from further training of the scaled agile roles and lean and design thinking. Also, the product complexity, diversity of the stakeholders and maturity of the team has to be in balance with the available time and capabilities of the product owners.