“We don’t need a Product Owner because we have constant alignment with our customer”
By: Willem-Jan Ageling
Tags: Agile, Scrum, Serious Scrum, Areyouserious, Scrum Master

“We don’t need a Product Owner because we have constant alignment with our customer”

Are you serious? — Episode 50

Someone approached me with the following:

“We choose to abandon Scrum. The reason is that we have direct contact with our customer. She knows what she wants and what features would be required to maximise the value of the product. And she is always available for us. Hence we don’t need a Product Owner which means that Scrum can’t be the framework of choice.”

I found this a very interesting observation. It triggered me to ask the following question:

“What is in your eyes the responsibility of a Product Owner?”

He replied:

“He or she should maintain a backlog and prioritise the items on the backlog. We don’t need such a person because the team can do it instead. He/she should also attend the Daily Scrum to help a team go through the Sprint Backlog items and answer questions. We also don’t see the need for that at all. We interact with our customer throughout the day”.

Then this is what I brought forward:

“You describe a situation where your customer is your Product Owner. You DO have a Product Owner after all!”

We then had this conversation:

Him: “But she doesn’t maintain the backlog. We do!”

Me: “That’s perfectly fine. The Scrum Guide says that the Product Owner is accountable for Product Backlog Management, but the Product Owner can have the Development Team do this too.”

Him: “But the customer isn’t able to access our current backlog. If she is accountable for it then she should be able to at least see it, isn’t it?”

Me: “Well you bring forward that your customer has strong ideas what items should be worked on next. What is your current way to align with her and are you happy with how this goes?”

Him: “We have face-to-face communication and we confirm things via e-mail. I must admit that we sometimes are misaligned. Now that you mention it: perhaps we should look for a different way to present our backlog, which is accessible for all of us.”

Me: “Well, this would optimise the transparency of the Product Backlog, which is vital to properly inspect it. Now on the topic of the Daily Scrum: I think you are doing it perfectly, interacting throughout the day. And also: the Daily Scrum is an event for the Development Team. The Product Owner doesn’t have to attend”.

Him: “I didn’t realise that the our costumer effectively is our Product Owner! I believe we have been busy with the mechanics of Scrum, forgetting why certain roles exist. Are there any other things that we need to consider when we establish the customer as our Product Owner?”

Me: “The Product Owner is part of the Scrum Team. As a result your customer needs to be part of the Sprint Planning, drive the Sprint Review and participate in the Sprint Retrospective.”

Him: “She was attending the planning event already and I think it’s brilliant that she would be joining the retrospective too. I believe it’s a refreshing idea that she would be driving the Sprint Review.”

Me: “Well I’d say that settles it: your customer is your perfect Product Owner. I believe that many Scrum teams will envy you to be in this position.”

For your information here’s the full description of the Product Owner at Scrum.org:

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