Models of Product Ownership
The concept of a Product Owner was introduced in Scrum to differentiate this role from a traditional product manager or project manager role, both of which were inadequate to fully express the responsibilities of a Scrum Product Owner. In the decades since the first Scrum Team, organizations have experimented with different approaches on how to staff this role and to what degree to empower it. The role as defined and the role as practiced are often at odds. What are the benefits, risks, tradeoffs, and investments associated with different models of product ownership? Is there one best approach? What model is best for your organization and your team?