BES Playbook

1.5 Play 5: Select a Leader and hold them Accountable

There must be a single product owner who has the authority and responsibility to assign tasks and work elements; make business, product, and technical decisions; and be accountable for the success or failure of the overall system. This product owner is ultimately responsible for how well the system meets the needs of its users and the mission they support.

Please reference the “Agile” Chapter of the BES Playbook for additional information on the Product Owner role in Agile Software Development: https://besplaybook.github.io/BESPlaybook/agile/1-1-purpose/

Checklist

  • A product owner has been identified
  • All stakeholders agree that the product owner has the authority to assign tasks and make decisions about features and technical implementation details
  • The product owner has a product management background with technical experience to assess alternatives and weigh tradeoffs
  • The product owner has a work plan that includes budget estimates and identifies funding sources
  • The product owner has a strong relationship with the contracting officer

Key Questions

  • Who is the product owner?
  • Does the product owner have the right skills and experience to be successful?
  • What organizational changes have been made to ensure the product owner has enough authority over and support for the project?
  • What does it take for the product owner to add or remove a feature from the system? Is the process efficient?
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