Articles

The responsibility of prioritizing and delivering business value in an organization for projects lies primarily with the Product Owner. For programs and portfolios, the responsibility lies with the Program Product Owner and Portfolio Product Owner, respectively. Their role is to act as effective representatives of the customer and/or sponsor. The guidelines for evaluating and measuring business value may typically be set forth by a Scrum Guidance Body.

Portfolio Product Owner

The Portfolio Product Owner makes the decisions at portfolio level. He/she will have the best perspective to decide how to organize the enterprise to meet the vision. The role of the Portfolio Product Owner is similar to that of the Program Product Owner in a program. He/she is responsible for and drives the creation and refining of the Portfolio Product Backlog.

Business justification responsibilities:

• Delivers value for portfolios
• Creates business justification for portfolios
• Provides value guidance for programs
• Approves business justification for programs

Program Product Owner

The Program Product Owner is the person responsible for maximizing business value for a program. He or she is responsible for articulating customer requirements and maintaining business justification for the program and can provide valuable inputs into what and how the projects in a program should be envisioned. The Program Product Owner also manages the Program Product Backlog.

The Program Product Owner interfaces with the Portfolio Product Owner to ensure alignment of the program with the goals and objectives of the portfolio. He or she is also involved with appointing Product Owners for individual projects, and ensuring that the vision, objectives, outcomes, and releases of individual projects in the program align with that of the program.

Business justification responsibilities:

• Delivers value for programs
• Creates business justification for programs
• Provides value guidance for projects
• Approves business justification for projects

Product Owner

The Product Owner is the person responsible for achieving maximum business value for the project. He or she is also responsible for articulating customer requirements and maintaining business justification for the project. The Product Owner represents the Voice of the Customer.

Business justification responsibilities:

• Delivers value for projects
• Creates business justification for projects
• Confirms benefit realization to business stakeholders