Knowledge Base / Scrum Team / Product Owner / What does the Product Owner do?
The Product Owner collaborates with the Developers during the Sprint
During the Sprint the Product Owner makes herself available and accessible, thus allowing the Developers to clarify any doubts, exchange ideas or request quick decisions on Sprint Backlog items, as needed.
They interact to refine and prepare items at the top of the Product Backlog for the next Sprint. These interactions can take place during the Sprint Planning meeting and in Product Backlog Refinement sessions throughout the Sprint (see the chapter Product Backlog Refinement (additional)).
However, as I mentioned earlier, the Product Owner can delegate, in whole or in part, the work of refining and detailing the product so that the Developers can do that directly with the customers and other stakeholders. The greater the maturity of the Developers in detailing the product, the greater this level of delegation. And the greater the delegation, the less is the need for the Product Owner to be available to the Developers during the Sprint. In one way or another, the Product Owner seeks to avoid blocking the work of the Developers while they wait for her presence and leave them to make decisions without having the necessary information.
The Developers may, as they see fit, seek feedback from the Product Owner throughout the Sprint on items in progress or those that are already done. This feedback can help them improve what they created and realize the Sprint Goal.
Nevertheless, the Product Owner, if anxious to see parts done during the Sprint or obtain information about the progress of the work, can exert pressure on Developers that violate their autonomy and are detrimental to the results of the work. Faced with problems like these, the Scrum Master works to teach the Product Owner how she can best do her job, always in collaboration with the rest of the Scrum Team.
Frequent or relevant interferences by the Product Owner in the planning already conducted for the Sprint are also harmful, as they divert the focus of the Developers and can thus compromise the carrying out of the work. For this reason, the Developers, supported by the Scrum Master, can reject any changes to the Sprint Backlog during the Sprint that modify or may jeopardize the already agreed-upon Sprint Goal.