Atlassian Agile Project Management Professional Certification Practice Exam

What is the primary function of the Product Owner in Scrum?

1. Manage deadlines

2. Facilitate team meetings

3. Prioritize the backlog and clarify requirements

4. Perform coding tasks

The correct answer is: Prioritize the backlog and clarify requirements

The primary function of the Product Owner in Scrum is to prioritize the backlog and clarify requirements. This role is crucial because the Product Owner serves as the voice of the customer and must ensure that the development team is working on the most valuable features and tasks at any given time. By maintaining a well-prioritized backlog, the Product Owner helps the team focus their efforts on delivering features that provide the highest benefit to stakeholders. Additionally, the Product Owner is responsible for clarifying requirements, which involves defining user stories and acceptance criteria to ensure the development team understands what needs to be built. This clarity helps prevent misunderstandings and reduces the need for rework, contributing to a more efficient development process. In contrast, managing deadlines is typically not the primary focus of the Product Owner but rather a shared responsibility among the Scrum team. Facilitating team meetings is the responsibility of the Scrum Master, who helps ensure that the team adheres to Scrum practices and fosters a productive environment. Performing coding tasks is generally outside the scope of the Product Owner's role, as they focus more on product strategy and stakeholder communication, allowing the development team to handle technical implementation.