Answering: “A product’s success is measured by:”

A product’s success is measured by its impact on customer satisfaction, revenue and cost. Delivering a fixed scope on a planned date says nothing about whether the product created value.

Exam Question

A product’s success is measured by:
(choose the best three answers)

• A. The impact on customer satisfaction.
• B. The delivery of upfront defined scope compared to the upfront planned time.
• C. The impact on revenue.
• D. The impact on cost.
• E. The impact on my performance rating.
• F. The impact on my boss’s mood.

Correct Answer

A, C and D.

Why This Is the Correct Answer

The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product, so success has to be measured by outcomes. Happier customers, more revenue and lower cost are direct signs of value delivered to customers and to the organization. Scrum.org’s Evidence-Based Management guide groups measures like these under current value and unrealized value, which is a useful way to think about them for the PSPO exams.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

B. Delivering upfront scope against the upfront planned time. This measures adherence to a plan, which is an output. A product can hit every planned date and still fail its users.

E. The impact on my performance rating. Personal ratings say nothing about the product’s value.

F. The impact on my boss’s mood. A distractor. Value is measured with evidence, not opinions.

Exam Tip

When the PSPO exam asks about measuring success or value, pick outcome measures (customer satisfaction, revenue, cost, usage) over plan measures (scope, schedule, velocity).

Key Takeaways

• Success is measured by outcomes, not by sticking to a plan.
• Customer satisfaction, revenue and cost are all evidence of value.
• Evidence-Based Management gives the Product Owner a vocabulary for value.