Why this matters:
Product owner is a role within a Scrum team. To fulfill this role, the candidate will need extensive practical experience with Scrum or a professional certification as a Scrum Product Owner. This question will help you learn more about the candidate’s level of familiarity with the different roles in a Scrum team — plus which ones they have direct practical experience with.
What to listen for:
- Experience using iterative approaches for problem-solving
- Professional certification as a Scrum Product Owner
- Practical experience working as part of a Scrum team
Why this matters:
Product roadmaps help a product owner establish a strategic vision and guide their team’s efforts through a product lifecycle. They can include events such as the launch of the actual product and the subsequent launch of new features and updates. Your candidate should demonstrate a track record of developing successful product roadmaps that balance short-term and long-term goals.
What to listen for:
- Track record of successfully managing product lifecycles
- Ability to adapt to changing conditions within a team, organization, or the market
- An outcomes-oriented approach
Why this matters:
Backlogs provide Scrum teams with a detailed list of tasks required to meet the goals set in the product roadmap. A well-prioritized backlog will have a huge impact on a team’s productivity — and the overall length of the product development cycle. This question will help you assess the candidate’s ability to set priorities and balance their team’s workloads.
What to listen for:
- Ability to set clear, actionable goals for Scrum teams
- Solid understanding of key product success metrics
- Ability to effectively prioritize tasks
Why this matters:
A product owner’s key responsibility is to break down a large project into a sequence of small deliverables prioritized according to their value. The candidate’s answer should touch on the importance of effective sprint planning and incorporating the team’s feedback during the process. They should have experience conducting sprint reviews and evaluating a team’s deliverables against long-term goals.
What to listen for:
- A track record of breaking down complex problems into manageable sprints
- An ability to clearly define goals and responsibilities
- A solid understanding of the importance of incorporating a team’s input in sprint planning
Why this matters:
The definition of “value” in product development can vary widely depending on the company, product type, and market conditions. Sometimes it can be as simple as generating revenue. Other times, it may entail solving key user pain points or breaking into a new market. This question will help you understand how the candidate defines and measures value, and which KPIs they are likely to consider for your organization.
What to listen for:
- Ability to select and establish project-appropriate KPIs
- Track record of managing projects that bring internal and external value
- Familiarity with key performance metrics in your sector
Why this matters:
Product owners maximize value through a combination of effective product backlog management, identifying and prioritizing valuable features, and validating results through user feedback. The candidate’s answer should describe a process in which they relied on user research and feedback to identify which product features were most important — and to discover new opportunities and overlooked pain points.
What to listen for:
- A user-driven approach to product development
- Ability to integrate key user feedback into products
- A solid understanding of the importance of validating features and hypotheses through user research
Why this matters:
Product owners often work across industries. Ideal candidates will have previous experience developing products in your sector and successfully working through challenges similar to those within your organization. This question will help you gauge the candidate’s knowledge of your company’s products, customer base, and competitive landscape.
What to listen for:
- Experience managing digital products for organizations similar to yours
- Knowledge of key industry trends, terms, and processes
- A solid understanding of your organization’s market and customer base
Why this matters:
Product owners act as a bridge between Scrum teams and stakeholders such as customers and decision-makers. They facilitate communication and keep both sides informed of the other’s feedback and goals. This question will prompt the candidate to reveal key information about their ability to satisfy stakeholder needs while balancing the overall product vision and their team’s capabilities.
What to listen for:
- A solid understanding of different stakeholders’ roles
- Ability to effectively integrate feedback into product strategies
- A track record of transparency and good relationships with stakeholders
Why this matters:
As a key decision-maker during a product’s development cycle, the product owner is ultimately accountable for the product’s success or failure. This question will reveal the candidate’s ability to communicate, lead, negotiate, and prioritize — plus manage stakeholder input and expectations. Ideal candidates will demonstrate strong leadership and management skills combined with excellent business acumen and technical expertise.
What to listen for:
- A bold attitude, with good tolerance of risk and a focus on experimentation
- A track record of overcoming internal and external challenges to achieve goals
- A track record of leveraging their team’s strengths and resources to meet and exceed goals
Contact a sales specialist.