This presentation offers best practices and lessons learned regarding finding and developing Agile Product Owners. The presentation goals are: - Understand the value of the Product Owner; - Provide real-world applications of CSPO training; - Offer ideas for positively influencing team members; and - Offer suggestions for continuous improvement.

1. The Agile Product Owner:
BEYOND THE BOOKS AND CLASSROOMS

2. UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF THE PRODUCT OWNER TO THE TEAM
TODAY’S GOALS
REAL-WORLD APPLICATION OF CERTIFIED SCRUM PRODUCT OWNER (CSPO) TRAINING
IDEAS FOR POSITIVELY INFLUENCING TEAM MEMBERS
SUGGESTIONS FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT & MATURITY AS A PRODUCT OWNER
@IAMALICIACYRUS

3. HEY, THAT’S ME!
ALICIA
AGILE LEADER | PO | PM | BA
SERVANT LEADER
???
PROBLEM SOLVER
Alicia Cyrus is an Agile leader in product ownership, project management, and business analysis. Alicia builds
collaborative relationships with clients to solve problems and foster Agile culture; leading organizations through
enterprise-wide Agile transformation and formation of innovative teams that deliver timely, effective solutions.
CREATIVE

4. CONVERSATIONS…
PRODUCT OWNER VS PROJECT MANAGER
PRODUCT OWNER & THE TEAM PRODUCT OWNER & MANAGEMENT
STARTING A PROJECT MAINTAINING PROJECT ARTIFACTS

5. BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT
WHERE WE’RE GOING…
LET’S TALK ABOUT
HOW WE GOT HERE…

6. BOTH ARE…
FAIRLY AUTONOMOUS ROLES (DEPENDING ON THE ENVIRONMENT)
RESPONSIBLE FOR COMMUNICATING PROJECT TEAM MILESTONES
ENSURE THE PROJECT AND/OR PRODUCT IS DELIVERED SUCCESSFULLY
HAVE TO MANAGE CHANGE (I.E. SCOPE, REQUIREMENTS, EXTERNAL IMPACTS, ETC.)
PRODUCT OWNERS & PROJECT MANAGERS

7. SAME GOALS…
WORKING SOFTWARE
PRODUCTIVE TEAMS
HIGH VELOCITY
LOW ERROR RATE (I.E. BUGS)
PRODUCT OWNERS & PROJECT MANAGERS

8. DEFINE
DEVELOP
RELEASE
EVALUATE
ITERATE
AGILE
FOCUS ON 5-PHASE PLANNING
MANAGE THE PROJECT & LEAD THE TEAM
ADHERE TO THE PMBOK METHODOLOGY
COMMUNICATE PROJECT STATUS
USUALLY DEPEND ON THE REQUIREMENTS
GATHERING OF OTHERS (E.G. BUSINESS ANALYST)
PROJECT MANAGER PRODUCT OWNER
GATHER INFORMATION ITERATIVELY
FACILITATE THE PROJECT & DEVELOP THE TEAM
USUALLY, BUSINESS ANALYST (BY TITLE)
COMMUNICATE THE PRODUCT VISION
MANAGE REQUIREMENTS ELICITATION LIFECYCLEINITIATING PLANNING CLOSINGEXECUTING
MONITORING
&
CONTROLLING
WATERFALL

9. CSPO CLASS…
PROVIDES AN EXCELLENT INTRODUCTION TO AGILE, SCRUM, KANBAN, ETC.
PRIMER FOR THE HIGH-LEVEL BENEFITS OF THE SCRUM APPROACH, ACTIVITIES, AND ROLES
INTRODUCES SCRUM CEREMONIES, USER STORY WRITING, POINTING, & ESTIMATION
PRIORITIZE
THE
BACKLOG
RESPONSIBLE FOR
PRODUCT
DELIVERY
REPRESENTS (ALL)
STAKEHOLDER
INTERESTS

10. CUSTOMERS / SPONSORS
DELIVER THE RIGHT / QUALITY PRODUCT
FAST DELIVERY TO MARKET
PRODUCT OWNERS FACETS
UNDERSTAND STAKEHOLDER NEEDS
MANAGE REQUIREMENTS
REPORT PROGRESS
ACQUIRE & INCLUDE FEEDBACK
DRIVE PRODUCT VISION
PRIORITIZE & REFINE BACKLOG
PROVIDE JUST-IN-TIME CLARIFICATION
REVIEW & ACCEPT REQUIREMENTS

11. "YOU DON'T HERD DUCKS BY CHASING THEM."
~ MERCEDES LACKEY & JAMES MALLORY~
SO…HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP?

12. A PRODUCT OWNER SHOULD…
VALUE VISION TRUST MANAGE SUPPORT
01
02
03
04
05
KNOW YOUR VALUE
ENSURE YOUR TEAM
GETS THE VISION
MANAGE STAKEHOLDER
REQUIREMENTS
BUILD TRUST
WITH YOUR TEAM
FIND THE BEST
APPROACH

13. KNOW YOUR VALUE

14. …TO MANAGEMENT
"MANAGING BOTTOM-UP CHANGE IS ITS OWN ART."
~KEVIN KELLY~
KEEP COMMUNICATION LINES OPEN REGARDING SCOPE,
REQUIREMENTS, STATUS, IMPEDIMENTS, & CHANGE
IDENTIFY WHAT INFORMATION IS NEEDED FOR TRACKING AND
REPORTING & DEMONSTRATE PROGRESS IN AN AGILE FORMAT
ALWAYS PROTECT THE VISION ~ NEGOTIATE ~ ENSURE VISIBILITY
VALUE

15. …TO THE TEAM
01
VALUE
MAKE CONNECTIONS
STOP
WITH THE
SILOS
PROTECT THE TEAM
NOT JUST THE
JOB OF THE
SCRUMMASTER
RELEASE CONTROL
DEVELOP A
“FACILITATOR’S
MINDSET”
OWN RELATIONSHIPS
TEAM MEMBERS
ARE CUSTOMERS
TOO!

16. HELPFUL TECHNIQUESCOMMON CHALLENGES
VALUE
YOU CONTINUOUSLY TRY TO DICTATE
TO THE TEAM HOW THEY SHOULD
APPROACH A REQUIREMENT.
FUNCTIONAL MANAGERS OR OTHER
LEADERSHIP CONSTANTLY PULL TEAM
MEMBERS FOR "SIDE PROJECTS."
EXPLAIN WHAT YOU NEED. MAKE
REQUIREMENTS A CONVERSATION &
TRUST THE TEAM TO DETERMINE
HOW THEY SHOULD CODE, TEST, ETC.
MAKE THE TEAM'S WORK VISIBLE.
LOG “SIDE PROJECTS” IN THEIR OWN
SWIMLANE.

17. THE TEAM HAS A RESOURCE
BOTTLENECK AND IT IS HOLDING
UP PROGRESS OF THE SPRINT.
HELPFUL TECHNIQUESCOMMON CHALLENGES
VALUE
THE PROJECT IS SHELVED OR FAILS –
AND TEAM MORALE IS LOW &
FRUSTRATION IS HIGH.
KEEP THE TEAM IN THE LOOP,
WATCH YOUR ATTITUDE, &
REGROUP WITH THE TEAM.
STEP OUTSIDE OF YOUR OWN BOX
(ROLE)! THIS IS A T.E.A.M. - PROVIDE
SUPPORT WHEN & WHERE NEEDED.

18. ENSURE YOUR TEAM GETS THE VISION

19. 02
CONNECT THE DOTS
VISION
PARTNER WITH
THE TEAM
EXPLAIN THE
“BIG PICTURE”
Relate the Work
BE AVAILABLE
Clarify, Clarify, Clarify!

20. HELPFUL TECHNIQUES
ONE TEAM, ONE PRODUCT OWNER.
PURE AND SIMPLE. IDEALLY, 100%
DEDICATED AND EMPOWERED TO MAKE
DECISIONS.
COMMON CHALLENGES
MULTIPLE PRODUCT OWNERS – THERE
ARE CONFLICTING PRIORITIES AND
TEAM MEMBERS DON’T KNOW WHERE
TO TURN FOR FINAL DECISIONS.
FACILITATING A JOINT PROJECT WITH
MULTIPLE BUSINESS LINES AND THEY
CONFLICT OVER PRODUCT VISION &
HIGHEST PRIORITY ITEMS.
FIRST, PUSH BACK - THEY HAVE TO
MAKE A DECISION!! HELP BY GIVING
THEM SOMETHING TO VIEW (MOCKUPS
ARE GREAT IN THIS CASE!)
VISION

21. BUILD TRUST WITH YOUR TEAM

22. 03
CIRCLE OF TRUST
UNDERSTAND
RELIABLE
ENCOURAGE
BLOCK
UNDERSTAND WHAT
THE TEAM NEEDS!
ENCOURAGE
SELF-ORGANIZATION!
MAKE TIME!
BLOCK / RE-ROUTE
INTERRUPTIONS
TRUST

23. THERE’S A CONFLICT BETWEEN PRODUCT
VISION & THE TECHNICAL DEPENDENCIES.
HELPFUL TECHNIQUESCOMMON CHALLENGES
WHEN THE TEAM HAS QUESTIONS
REGARDING A REQUIREMENT THAT IS
UNCLEAR, YOU ARE UNAVAILABLE. OR
YOU SPEAK OUT OF TURN AND CREATE
CONFUSION WITH REQUIREMENTS.
TRUST
TEAM MEMBER ARRIVES FRUSTRATED &
ON EDGE - THEIR DAY IS FILLED WITH
MEETINGS (YOUR ESTIMATION MEETING
ONE OF THE THEM).
SIMPLY ASK - "HOW CAN I HELP?" BE
PROACTIVE & BE FLEXIBLE IN
SCHEDULING, WHEN POSSIBLE.
BE WILLING TO NEGOTIATE AND
RESOLVE WITH THE TEAM.
BE CONSISTENTLY AVAILABLE TO THE
TEAM. SCHEDULE SPECIFIC TIMES TO
CHECK IN & FOLLOW UP. THEY SHOULD
BE ABLE TO TRUST WHAT YOU SAY AND
KNOW THAT INFORMATION IS RELIABLE.

24. MANAGE STAKEHOLDER REQUIREMENTS

25. REQUIREMENTS LIFECYCLE
04
MANAGE
MANAGEMENT
CUSTOMERS
STAKEHOLDERS
THE TEAM

26. HELPFUL TECHNIQUES
NEGOTIATE! IDENTIFY THE WORK -
WITH THE TEAM - THAT CAN BE DONE
WITHIN THE GIVEN TIMEFRAME. PRESENT
MANAGEMENT WITH OPTIONS & GET
CUSTOMER BUY-IN.
MANAGEMENT IS PRESSURING THE
TEAM TO REDUCE ESTIMATES OR
INCREASE SCOPE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
PROJECT.
BEFORE YOU GO TO THE CUSTOMER,
WORK WITH THE TEAM TO COME UP
WITH ALTERNATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS.
COMMON CHALLENGES
DUE TO LIMITATIONS, THE TEAM IS
UNABLE TO PROVIDE REQUESTED PIECE
OF FUNCTIONALITY.
MANAGE

27. FIND THE BEST APPROACH

28. Focus on…
THE “HOW.”
What’s the best way
to do “it”…?
IT DEPENDS.
05
FIND THE BEST APPROACH
Practice makes…
BETTER!
Remember…
BUILDING A TEAM
TAKES TIME.“BE SOLUTION-ORIENTED, NOT PROBLEM-ORIENTED.
FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW, RATHER
THAN HOW MUCH THINGS SUCK.”
~DR. JOHN BERARDI VIA DAVID CHILCOTT
SUPPORT

29. HELPFUL TECHNIQUES
WORK WITH THE TEAM & SCRUM
MASTER TO IDENTIFY THE WIP THAT
WILL BEST ACCOMMODATE THE
DEFINITION OF DONE.
THE SCRUM MASTER IS IMPOSING A
SPECIFIC WIP LIMIT THAT KEEPS
CAUSING BOTTLENECKS FOR THE TEAM.
IDENTIFY WHAT IS NEEDED & HELP
ESTABLISH A NEW STANDARD (E.G.
CHARTER, MINDMAP, VISION BOARD,
ETC.)
COMMON CHALLENGES
STARTING A NEW PROJECT –
MANAGEMENT HAS DISCARDED ALL
PROJECT MANAGEMENT STANDARDS
UNDER THE GUISE OF “DOING” AGILE.
SUPPORT

30. A PRODUCT OWNER SHOULD…
VALUE VISION TRUST MANAGE SUPPORT
01
02
03
04
05
KNOW YOUR VALUE
ENSURE YOUR TEAM
GETS THE VISION
MANAGE STAKEHOLDER
REQUIREMENTS
BUILD TRUST
WITH YOUR TEAM
FIND THE BEST
APPROACH

31. BUT “CONDUCTING IS MORE DIFFICULT THAN PLAYING A SINGLE INSTRUMENT,” CLAIMS BOULEZ.
“YOU HAVE TO KNOW THE CULTURE, TO KNOW THE SCORE, AND TO PROJECT WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR.”
~PIERRE BOULEZ~
WHAT DOES A CONDUCTOR ACTUALLY DO?
BBC CULTURE
BY CLEMENCY BURTON-HILL
31 OCTOBER 2014

32. STRIVE TO BE A…
BEAT TIME
CONVEY AN
INTERPRETATION
LISTEN
LEAD
GET THE GLORY
BE A CONDUIT
PUT IN THE HOURS
BE A FIGUREHEAD
IMMORTALIZE A PERFORMANCE

33. * READY FOR QUESTIONS *
Q A&
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Q & A SESSION
HTTPS://WWW.LINKEDIN.COM/IN/ALICIACYRUS
@IAMALICIACYRUS
571-305-5984
ACYRUS@ENTERPRISE-KNOWLEDGE.COM