Product Owner

A product owner is the person accountable for maximising the value a product delivers, most notably in Scrum. They own and order the product backlog, decide what the team builds next, and make sure everyone understands the goal – acting as the single voice of the customer and business.

The product owner sets priorities but does not dictate how the team works; the team decides how to deliver. Clear ownership of the backlog is what keeps an agile team pointed at the most valuable work.

Related: product backlog, epic, minimum viable product.

Last updated: 4 July 2026 · By Tom, PMP-certified since 2004

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