Most companies still get Product Ownership wrong. They either treat it as a glorified backlog manager or assume any business analyst can do the job. But a real Product Owner isn’t just an order taker. They are a product strategist, decision-maker, and stakeholder wrangler, responsible for maximising product value.
The misconception that a Product Owner is a “requirements gatherer” leads to weak products and misaligned teams. Instead, the best Product Owners own the vision, drive outcomes, and use evidence to steer development—not just shuffle tickets in a backlog.
A Product Owner isn’t a stepping stone role. It’s an accountability that demands business acumen, leadership, and the courage to make tough calls. If your PO is just managing lists, your product is already in trouble.
How does your organisation approach Product Ownership? Are you hiring for it, or just hoping the right person emerges?
If you've made it this far, it's worth connecting with our principal consultant and coach, Martin Hinshelwood, for a 30-minute 'ask me anything' call.
We partner with businesses across diverse industries, including finance, insurance, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, technology, engineering, transportation, hospitality, entertainment, legal, government, and military sectors.
Genus Breeding Ltd
DFDS
Lean SA
Capita Secure Information Solutions Ltd
Kongsberg Maritime
Philips
YearUp.org
Jack Links
ProgramUtvikling
Hubtel Ghana
New Signature
Healthgrades
Milliman
Slaughter and May
Xceptor - Process and Data Automation
Alignment Healthcare
Bistech
Qualco
Washington Department of Transport
Ghana Police Service
New Hampshire Supreme Court
Nottingham County Council
Washington Department of Enterprise Services
Royal Air Force
Flowmaster (a Mentor Graphics Company)
Healthgrades
Slicedbread
Sage
Trayport
New Signature