Change

Let’s face up to reality. We are missing the point of Product Ownership in organisations. You’re given the title, yet you end up being a backlog administrator with little decision-making power. You spend most of your time composing product backlog items, chasing stakeholders and jumping from meeting to meeting with little progress. Sound familiar?
This guide isn’t supposed to provide answers for every scenario you might encounter. It will provide the principles and patterns to help you critically think through your challenges. My intention for this guide is not to overwhelm you with tools or processes. The intent is very simple. Help you move from being a Product Owner in name to thinking like a real entrepreneur in an AI-enabled world.

In 1998, the Internet was beginning its journey. This new communication technology was about to revolutionise everything we do. At the time, it was all speculation. Even ridiculed in the media. Who would be sending emails to each other when we can pick up the phone? Irrespective of the scepticism, there was a healthy optimism. Those experimenting with technology and exploring opportunities would ultimately win.

At the time, I was a computer science student, a keen fan of mobile technology. So much so, I was always looking for the next gadget. I was observing so much innate potential in this tech. A common sight would be me on my daily commute, my Ericsson MC12 palm-top computer glued to my fingers. It was connected to the Internet via my Ericsson GA628 phone, a device that was notably out of place amid the sea of books, newspapers, and phones on which passengers were engrossed. The very thought of being connected to the online world while in transit sparked curiosity among my fellow commuters. This tiny gadget was my conduit to the world.