Search
Close this search box.
Search
Close this search box.

Top 5 Qualities of a Product Owner

Product Owner Qualities

A product owner is an essential role on a product team. Good products require good product owners who have all the necessary qualities to create a product useful to its users. Product owners ensure that the voice of the user is at the heart of the product while making decisions about the product. Without good product owners, the team would just be creating something that won’t be used by customers, no matter how good it works. Listed below are some qualities necessary for becoming a good product owner. IIBA has launched product ownership analysis (POA) certification in June 2021. If you’re looking for an opportunity to upgrade yourself, enroll in IIBA Approved Product Ownership Analysis CPOA Training with 16 hrs PDs/CDUs & enhance your skills. 

1. Understanding the product

“The role of a product manager is to discover a product that is valuable, usable, and feasible.”         

-Marty Cagan, Bestselling Author

A product owner needs to have a thorough understanding of the product that they are part of. A product owner will frequently find themselves deciding on the features to be built, answering developer queries, and responding to various business stakeholders’ input on the product. On such occasions, the product owner needs to have a clear understanding of the vision that guides the product roadmap as well as the customer needs that the product is satisfying. Thorough understanding of the product will help the product owner to make better trade-offs, to decide when to say no to a feature, and to recognize when a user need has been met.

2. Understanding the customer

“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.”                     – Bill Gates

A great product owner should focus on building a product around their customer’s needs rather than finding customers for their product. This means having a deep understanding of the customers needs and pain points, their buying behaviour and what motivates them to use the product. Having the ability to empathize is critical to create a product that resonates with the customer and build a long-lasting relationship with them. Techniques like empathy map and customer journey map can help a product owner visualize the needs, motivations, and pain areas of a customer better.

3. Clear communication

“A great product manager has the brain of an engineer, the heart of a designer, and the speech of a diplomat.”                                                                – Deep Nishar, Senior Partner, LinkedIn

The role of a product owner involves interacting with a myriad of internal and external stakeholders for various purposes. The ability to obtain or convey the information they want requires clear and concise communication skills. Communication skills are not restricted to just verbal and written skills, but also the ability for effective informal communication, reading body language during interviews, an ability to read between the lines and great listening skills. A great product owner listens well and must be able to interpret the unmet and unarticulated needs of their customer, understand developer speak to communicate effectively with them, and also convince sponsors and other business stakeholders by communicating in a manner they are comfortable with.

4. Ambition and passion

“Be stubborn on vision, but flexible on details.”    – Jeff Bezos

A successful product owner is one who relentlessly pursues the product vision in order to build a product that can delight its customers. A product journey is fraught with many lows and setbacks. Overcoming these obstacles requires an ambition and passion to build the best version of the product possible by rallying the collective synergies of the tech and business team. A willingness to fail fast and fail often, sprinkled with the right amount of innovation and creativity can go a long way in building the best possible version of the product.

5. Analytical and problem-solving skills

“Any damn fool can make something complex; it takes a genius to make something simple.”             

                                                                            – Pete Seeger, Product Director at Docusign  

A product owner is privy to a lot of information like customer usage reports, customer complaints, survey results, competitor landscape reports, P&L statements, etc., A good product owner can distill all this information into actionable insights. A product owner should be able to draw on past experiences and arrive at an optimal solution to resolve the problems at hand. A good product owner designs thoughtful experiments, iterates on the right product ideas and uses data-driven decision-making techniques to improve the product.       

Conclusion

Having the right mix of business, technical and product acumen is vital to a good product owner. Being able to empathize with the customers, understanding the product vision, and using proper analytical techniques to properly communicate the product roadmap all lead to a successful product owner.

About The Author

Techcanvass is an Information Technology certifications training Organization for professionals. It offers internationally recognized certifications in the fields of Project Management and Business Analysis. It is a premier Authorized training partner of Project Management Institute (PMI), USA and a premier Endorsed Education Provider (EEP) of International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA), Canada. We provide CBAP Course, CCBA Course, Agile Analysis Certification (AAC) Courses, and PMP Certification Training. Founded by IT professionals, We are committed to making learning a more structured, practical, and goal-oriented exercise. We also provide consulting services in the fields of Project management and Business Analysis.

 


Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Related Articles

Top Trending

Sleep Habits Around the World
Global Slumber Secrets: Exploring Sleep Habits Around the World
harem manga
The 20 Best Harem Manga With No Anime Adaptations for Harem Manga Fans
elden ring gold scarab
An Ultimate Guide on Finding the Elden Ring Gold Scarab Talisman [10 Best Tips]
Melting Polar Ice Earth Rotation
Melting Polar Ice Shifts Earth's Rotation: The Impact on Time Explained
Taylor Swift Travis Kelc Downtime Together
Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce: Inside Their Relaxing Downtime Together

LIFESTYLE

Sleep Habits Around the World
Global Slumber Secrets: Exploring Sleep Habits Around the World
Most Healthiest Countries in the World
30 Most Healthiest Countries in the World: Why they Are Healthy? [2024 Updated]
Tips to Help You Find Confidence
Five Quick Tips to Help You Find Confidence
Top Countries Where Weddings Cost a Fortune
Top Countries Where Weddings Cost a Fortune: A Global Ranking
Why Finland world Happiest Country
Unveiling the Secrets: Why Finland is the World's Happiest Country?

Entertainment

harem manga
The 20 Best Harem Manga With No Anime Adaptations for Harem Manga Fans
elden ring gold scarab
An Ultimate Guide on Finding the Elden Ring Gold Scarab Talisman [10 Best Tips]
Taylor Swift Travis Kelc Downtime Together
Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce: Inside Their Relaxing Downtime Together
Female Pokemon Characters
A Complete List of 30 Top Female Pokemon Characters in the Universe
Disney Plus Hulu Merge Streaming Service
Disney Plus & Hulu Merger: More Than Just a Streaming Bundle

GAMING

elden ring gold scarab
An Ultimate Guide on Finding the Elden Ring Gold Scarab Talisman [10 Best Tips]
Elden Ring Endings Explained
Elden Ring Endings Explained: A Comprehensive Guide in 2024
meteorite staff elden ring location
Ultimate Guide to Finding the Meteorite Staff Location in Elden Ring
isolated divine tower elden ring
How to Solve the Mystery of the Isolated Divine Tower Elden Ring
Casino Books to Keep You Hooked
Casino Books to Keep You Hooked!

BUSINESS

bill gates india global advancement
Bill Gates Highlights India as Crucial to Worldwide Advancement
Rafaela Nonnenmacher Bundchen
Rafaela Nonnenmacher Bündchen: The Youngest of Gisele Bündchen's Siblings
Chiefs Owner Net Worth
Chiefs Owner Net Worth Breakdown in 2024 [Latest Update]
Bitcoin Holding Despite Low Activity
Bitcoin's Standstill: Low On-Chain Activity Yet No Rush to Sell, Says Analyst
Reddit AI User Data Stock Soar
Unlocking Reddit's Success: How AI Data Boosted Its Stock?

TECHNOLOGY

How Many Wheels Are There in the World
How Many Wheels Are There in the World? The Ultimate Investigation
Ideas for QR Codes
Creative Design Ideas for QR Codes
Saudi-Owned Moroccan Plant's $47M Breakdown
Solar Power Setback: Saudi-Owned Moroccan Plant's $47M Breakdown
Building Blocks
Exploring Multichain Future: The New Era of Blockchain Building Blocks
Apple Partners with Baidu for AI Solutions
Apple Partners with Baidu for AI Solutions: Inside the Tech Giant's Move

HEALTH

Man splits cocaine into strips and then snorts. Narcotics concept.
Cocaine Vaccine: A New Hope for Addiction Recovery?
Most Healthiest Countries in the World
30 Most Healthiest Countries in the World: Why they Are Healthy? [2024 Updated]
woman hairdresser in modern beauty salon with hairbrush and client.
Wave Goodbye to Hair Loss: Hair Loss Treatment for Women
Top Vegetarian Destinations
Top Veggie Paradises: Discover the World's Best Vegetarian Destinations
brandon and mary
The Misconceptions Surrounding Brandon and Mary's Health Announcement