1 minute read
Hiring a Product Owner? Don’t just copy-paste a job spec from the internet. A real PO isn’t just a requirements collector or project manager, they own product success.
Here’s what a strong Product Owner actually does:
- Defines the vision and ensures the team is working on the highest-value items.
- Collaborates daily with Developers and stakeholders to refine direction.
- Uses data to make decisions instead of relying on gut instinct or seniority.
- Says no when necessary, even when it’s unpopular.
- Orders the backlog strategically, not reactively.
And here’s the hard truth: one person alone cannot do all of this at scale. POs delegate, but they remain accountable. If a PO is just taking orders, someone else is actually running the product, and that’s a problem.
If your PO is buried in admin work instead of driving outcomes, you don’t have a real PO. You have a backlog secretary.
What’s the biggest gap in most Product Owner job descriptions you’ve seen?
Subscribe to Martin's signals
Writing since 2001
Signals, usually weekly. One click to leave.
Was this useful?
Enjoyed this? One click, no account.
Smart Classifications
Each classification [Concepts, Categories, & Tags] was assigned using AI-powered semantic analysis and scored across relevance, depth, and alignment. Final decisions? Still human. Always traceable. Hover to see how it applies.
Also published on LinkedIn.