What is the primary role of the product owner?

The primary role of the product owner is to build the right product. This involves understanding customer needs, defining the product vision, and prioritizing the product backlog to ensure that the development team delivers value. The product owner acts as a bridge between stakeholders and the development team, making decisions about what features and functionalities are most critical for success.

In this context, the product owner is responsible for maximizing the value of the product and ensuring that the work done aligns with the strategic goals of the organization. This includes gathering feedback, refining requirements, and making informed decisions on prioritization to steer the team in the right direction when developing the product.

While coordinating and organizing the product team, inspecting the product, and ensuring the team has clarity on requirements are also vital activities, the essence of the product owner’s role centers on delivering a product that meets market demands and customer expectations. Their focus is on the 'what' and 'why' of the product to ensure it addresses real needs, rather than solely managing the processes or the team.