“Value optimizer” best describes a Product Owner. The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product, not for writing requirements, managing people or relaying messages.
Exam Question
Which phrase best describes a Product Owner? (choose the best answer)
- A. Requirements engineer.
- B. Value optimizer.
- C. Team manager.
- D. Go-between between the Developers and customers.
Correct Answer
B. Value optimizer.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
The Scrum Guide states “The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team.” Everything else the Product Owner does serves that purpose: developing the Product Goal, creating and ordering Product Backlog items, and making sure the Product Backlog is transparent and understood. The Guide adds that “For Product Owners to succeed, the entire organization must respect their decisions.” The Product Owner is a decision-maker about what to build and in what order, which is what “value optimizer” captures.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
A. Requirements engineer. Writing requirements is a small part of the job and can be delegated. It misses the accountability for value.
C. Team manager. The Product Owner does not manage the Developers. They are self-managing.
D. Go-between for Developers and customers. Developers can and should talk directly with customers and stakeholders. A Product Owner who only relays messages is a proxy, not an owner of value.
Exam Tip
If an option reduces the Product Owner to a document writer or messenger, it is wrong. Scrum.org frames the Product Owner as an empowered value maximizer.
Key Takeaways
- The Product Owner maximizes product value.
- The organization must respect the Product Owner’s decisions.
- Developers can talk to stakeholders directly.
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