Tasks of a PM and PO in a hybrid enviroment

Over the years working on digital projects when the Agile way of working was considered more and more the holy grail I recognized that as a project manager I had been working as a product owner or a hybrid form of all along.

I would like to give an insight into my of working.

My encounter with a new customer:

As a product owner, my first encounter with a new customer typically involves a discovery and on boarding process. The goal of this process is to understand the customer’s needs, goals, and objectives, as well as to establish a working relationship with the customer.

The first step in this process is usually a meeting or call with the customer to introduce ourselves and learn more about their business and their product needs. During this meeting, we ask and answer questions to understand pain points, what we hope to achieve with the product, and what the target audience is. we also discuss budget, timelines, and any other constraints that may impact the project.

Next, we conduct thorough research to understand the industry and competitors, this helps us to understand the market trends and how our product will fit in. We also make sure to understand the customer base and their behavior.

After gathering all the necessary information, we then create a product vision and strategy that aligns with the customer’s goals and objectives. This includes defining the product’s key features and functionality, as well as outlining a roadmap for development.

Finally, we work together as a team with the customer to establish clear communication channels and set expectations for the project. This includes outlining the project timeline, milestones, and deliverables.

Throughout the process, we work closely with the customer team and shareholders to ensure that all  needs are met and that the product is developed to specifications. This initial encounter sets the foundation for a successful and productive partnership.

After the initial encounter, the next step is to schedule a follow-up meeting. This meeting typically focuses on reviewing and discussing the product vision and strategy that was developed during the first meeting. The goal of this meeting is to ensure that the customer is aligned with the proposed product vision and strategy and that any concerns or feedback are addressed.

During consecutive meetings, we discuss the product vision and strategy documents, highlighting the key features and functionality, as well as outlining the development roadmap. We walk the customer-team through the documents, answering any questions they may have and discussing any areas of concern. we also make sure to address any feedback or changes that the team may have suggested during the first meeting.

In addition to reviewing the product vision and strategy, this second meeting is also an opportunity to discuss any additional research or analysis that may be needed. This could include discussing user research, competitive analysis, or market research that will help inform the development of the product.

Once we have a consensus on the product vision and strategy, we will move forward with the next step, which is typically creating a detailed project plan that outlines the specific tasks, timelines, and deliverables for the project. This plan will serve as a guide for the development process and will be used to track progress and ensure that the project stays on track.

At the end of the meeting, we make sure to summarize the key takeaways and next steps, and schedule the next meeting to review the progress. This helps to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that the project stays on track.

To sum up the interactions with the customer, all the different stakeholders, and of course the development team are crucial to the success of the product. Here are some key topics or ways that we interact:

1. Defining requirements: One of our main responsibilities is to clearly define the requirements for the product. This includes creating user stories, wireframes, and other documentation that clearly outlines the product’s features and functionality. we work closely as a team with everyone involved with the development as a whole to ensure that everyone understands the requirements and of course if they are able to be implemented effectively.
2. Prioritization: we work with development to prioritize the requirements and features for the product. This ensures that the most important and valuable features are developed first, and that the development team is always working on the most important tasks.
3. Feedback and Communication: we work closely with the development team throughout the development process to provide feedback and direction. I review their work regularly, provide constructive feedback, and ensure that the product is developed according to the requirements and the product vision. We make sure to communicate regularly with all stakeholders and the different teams, providing updates and addressing any concerns they may have.
4. Collaboration: we work together within all teams to plan sprints, review progress, and address any issues that arise. We also identify any risks or dependencies that may impact the project, and help to develop mitigation strategies.
5. Quality assurance: All team ensure that the product meets the quality standards and that it is free of bugs and other issues. We test the product and provide feedback on any issues that need to be fixed.

Overall, all interactions with the customer stakeholders and the development teams are centered around ensuring that the product is developed according to the requirements, the product vision, and the needs of the customer. We work together to ensure that the product is delivered on time, within budget, and to the satisfaction of the customer.

As the product owner, I typically schedule several different types of meetings with the development team (and some with the customer) to ensure that the product is developed successfully. Here are some of the most important meetings that I schedule:

1. Stakeholder meetings: Every stakeholder needs to be heard on their take on the project. Their ideas need to be evaluated if only to be able to identify if they have projects that depend on specific outcomes of my project. Also if these dependancies pose a risk to the outcome or delivery of my project I would like to understand this very early on.
2. Steering Committee: to begin with I schedule a meeting twice a month with all the stake- and shareholders to discuss the project as a whole. We discuss progress, any issues that may have dependencies with other projects  and mitigate possible risks. Also not unimportant of course budget.
3. Sprint planning: At the beginning of each sprint, I schedule a sprint planning meeting with the development team. During this meeting, we review the product backlog, prioritize the items, and plan the sprint. The goal of this meeting is to ensure that the development team knows what they will be working on for the next sprint, and that they are aligned with the product vision and strategy.
4. Daily stand-up: I also schedule a daily stand-up meeting with the development team. This is a quick meeting, usually held in the morning, where each team member briefly updates the rest of the team on what they accomplished yesterday, what they plan to work on today, and any issues they are facing. This helps to keep everyone informed and on the same page.
5. Sprint review: At the end of each sprint, I schedule a sprint review meeting with the development team and the customer. During this meeting, we review the work that was completed during the sprint, demonstrate the new features and functionality, and solicit feedback. This helps to ensure that the product is on track, and that the customer is happy with the progress.
6. Sprint retrospective: After the sprint review, I schedule a sprint retrospective meeting with the development team. During this meeting, we reflect on the sprint that just ended, discuss what went well and what could be improved, and create a plan to improve the next sprint.
7. Backlog grooming: I schedule regular backlog grooming meetings with the development team and customer. During this meeting, we review the product backlog and make sure that the items are properly prioritized, estimated, and aligned with the product vision and strategy.
8. Demos: I schedule demos for the customer to showcase the progress of the product on regular basis.
9. Technical meetings: Depending on the project, I might schedule additional technical meetings with the development team to discuss specific technical issues or to review architecture and design decisions.

These are just a few of the most important meetings that I schedule where it concerns customer and team. Depending on the specifics of the project, there may be other meetings that are needed to ensure that the product is developed successfully. The key is to keep everyone informed and aligned, and to ensure that the product is delivered on time and to the satisfaction of the customer.

At the risk of seeming a meeting tiger I would like to point out that there are some that you can pick and choose to either set or discard however several important meetings that a PM or PO should schedule with the customer in order to ensure that the product is being developed to their satisfaction and aligns with their needs. Here are a few examples:

1. Kick-off meeting: At the beginning of a project, I schedule a kick-off meeting with the customer to discuss the project scope, timelines, and expectations. This is an opportunity to establish a good working relationship with the customer, and to make sure that everyone is on the same page.
2. Requirements gathering: I schedule meetings with the customer to gather requirements and understand their needs. During these meetings, I work with the customer to identify their pain points and the goals they hope to achieve with the product.
3. User research: Depending on the project, I may schedule user research meetings with the customer to gather feedback and insights from the target user group.
4. Demos: I schedule regular demos with the customer to showcase the progress of the product, and to solicit feedback and make any necessary adjustments.
5. Status update meetings: I schedule regular status update meetings with the customer to provide updates on the progress of the project, and to address any concerns or issues that may have arisen.
6. Acceptance testing: Before the product is released, I schedule acceptance testing meetings with the customer to ensure that the product meets their needs and expectations.
7. Post-launch meetings: After the product is launched, I schedule meetings with the customer to gather feedback, measure success, and identify opportunities for improvement.

The results, however you gather them, are important to ensure that the product is being developed to the customer’s satisfaction, and that their needs are met. The key is to keep the customer informed and involved in the development process, and to gather feedback and make adjustments as necessary.