Scrum Product Owner Spotter’s Guide

Too many changes or too much work in the sprint? The root cause is often the Product Owner. Use this ‘Spotter’s Guide’ to see what kind of Product Owner you have, what the impact is, and whether your team needs an upgrade!

Scribe

The Scribe represents no change to the status quo. They are present for the Scrum events, maybe even write some stories or documentation, but someone else is presenting the needs and making the decisions. The Scribe does not really influence the proceedings. Whatever dysfunctions you had before, you will continue to have.

Proxy

The Proxy works much like a business analyst. First, they talk to the stakeholders, then they formulate and explain their needs to the Developers. Because the Proxy has no authority, the proxy cannot protect the team from overloading or rapidly changing requirements, nor can they really focus on business value.

Representative

The stakeholders’ Representative is usually part of “the business side” and can speak for the business. While not the decision-maker, the Representative is well-connected and influential.

The collaboration depends on how empowered the Representative is. It is usually more effective than with a Proxy. It can be much better if the Product Owner is fully empowered.

Sponsor

The sponsor can make decisions, both about the product and about money. Unlike the other roles, the Sponsor is not taking orders from someone else, but rather sets long-term goals to achieve business objectives. The Sponsor can hold their word.

Working with a sponsor is most conducive to clear product and sprint goals and has the fewest disturbances during the sprint.

Entrepreneur

The Entrepreneur is a completely different animal. The Entrepreneur is more focused on users and customers than internal stakeholders. Uncertainty usually dominates, especially in the early phases as the team figures out what the (future) customers need and what the right product is.

Expect shorter sprints, tighter collaboration, more emphasis on learning. Sometimes you’ll discover you’ve gotten the wrong answer and need to pivot. It can be a wild ride, but also very satisfying.

Recommendation

In a corporate context, I have gotten the best results working with Sponsors and empowered Representatives. Proxys and Scribes are in my experience both ineffective and deeply frustrating for everybody involved. If Scrum Team has these issues, get your Product Owner an upgrade!

P.S.