Product Owner by Proxy - Add the Tech

The context for this article is software development. In this context, Scrum and Agile are the modern ways of planning and interacting with the Software Development Team. What is this role Product Owner, one could ask. Let's see what The Internet says. From scrum.org: "The Product Owner is the sole person responsible for managing the Product Backlog".

Could it be that the Product Owner is a person with lots of spare time? Don't think so, and that is where the Product Owner by Proxy (or Proxy PO) enters the scene.

From scrum-guides: "The Product Owner is responsible for maximizing the value of the product resulting from work of the Development Team."

A person at the The Business side of an organisation does not necessarily have the technical skills to hold a detailed discussion (or ague) with Software Developers. And this is where a Proxy to the Product Owner can be of use.

Product Backlog

Let's start with that 'Product Backlog' thing. A backlog is list of stuff you have to do. Someone who ever looked at the backlog of a software development team would know that it's mostly hocus pocus and that there are lots of details to manage. And who is this person putting all this work on my backlog?! I'm busy enough as is goes, thank you very much!

Maximizing value

Value of what? Does code have value? Whatever you ask for, the development team never builds what you want anyway, right? Well, let's hope that they build what hou need!

Realise business value with the development team

In my opinion, the Product Owner has the responsibility to turn the costs of a software development team into business value. Managing the Product Backlog and helping development team to 'maximise value' is not a an easy job. It's certainly not something you can squeeze into you existing planning.

Tech stuff

Communicating with Development Teams requires some technical knowledge. Not all business oriented people have the vocabulary and technical insights to discuss possible solutions with Development Teams. Furthermore, there are a lot Product Backlog details to manage on a daily basis.

Product Owner by Proxy is there to help

The Proxy knows enough of The Business to make small and daily decisions. The Proxy understands both the domain of The Business and the way the software is developed by IT. The Proxy can engage with Software Developers to invent a smart solution for a Business problem or request. The Proxy can translate priority decisions into Business impact. According to the 'official' Scrum guidelines (there is no such thing as 'official Scrum'. ..) , a Product Owner has only a few touchpoint with the team (Planning, Refinement and Demo). In reality, the team will have lots of small questions for the Product Owner on a daily basis.

I would describe the Proxy Product Owner as a mix of a Business Analist and a Solution Architect. The role of Proxy PO can be helpful if the actual Product Owner (the person with a budget and the mandate to make Business decisions) has not enough time and/or technical knowledge to interact with a Software Development Team on a daily basis.