Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches

How Feedback Transforms Product Owners | Zvonimir Durcevic

Apr 4, 2025

Zvonimir Durcevic, an Agile product development expert, shares his insights on the transformative power of feedback for Product Owners. He highlights a case study of a Product Owner who thrived by adapting to team feedback and engaging more closely with their team. Zvonimir contrasts this with a less effective Product Owner who resisted core duties despite their expertise. The discussion emphasizes the importance of open communication and embracing change in Agile practices, as well as the upcoming Global Agile Summit, which will explore innovative Agile methodologies.

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ANECDOTE

The Reluctant SME

A subject matter expert was assigned the Product Owner role but didn't want the responsibility.
The team and Scrum Master had to take over PO duties, creating an unsustainable situation.

INSIGHT

Shared Accountability

Shared PO responsibilities can work if supported, demonstrating that accountability doesn't require one person.
A "proxy PO" can be a solution, avoiding absence issues.

ADVICE

Clarify Responsibilities

Discuss roles and responsibilities for clarity and identify unclear ownership.
Let teams experiment with taking on activities, evaluating effectiveness through retrospectives.

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Zvonimir Durcevic: How Feedback Transforms Product Owners Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. The Great Product Owner: Embracing Feedback and Adapting Over Time

Zvonimir shares his experience with a Product Owner who demonstrated exceptional growth over a two-year period. What made this PO stand out was their willingness to receive feedback from the team and adjust their behavior accordingly. When the team expressed difficulty accessing the PO for questions and early feedback, the PO responded by rearranging their schedule to sit near the team part-time. Zvone emphasizes how these incremental changes, driven by openness to feedback, transformed this person into an exemplary Product Owner. The key insight: great Product Owners honor past practices while embracing necessary changes for the future.

Self-reflection Question: How might your willingness (or reluctance) to accept feedback be affecting your development as a Product Owner?

The Bad Product Owner: The Reluctant Subject Matter Expert

In this segment, Zvonimir describes working with a Subject Matter Expert who was assigned the Product Owner role despite not wanting the responsibility. While this person excelled at documenting requirements from their extensive knowledge, they resisted taking on core PO duties. The organization assigned them the role but didn't push for proper adoption of responsibilities. Consequently, the team and Scrum Master were forced to assume PO duties to fill the gap. Although this arrangement functioned temporarily thanks to the team's capabilities and the SME's knowledge, it created an unsustainable situation where role accountability was unclear.

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About Zvonimir Durcevic

Zvonimir has worked in agile product development since 2005, holding roles such as Scrum Master, Agile Coach, IT Project, and R&D Manager. He works with teams to co-create tailored solutions to increase engagement and improve customer focus and effectiveness, enabling accelerated value delivery and rapid adaptation to change.

You can link with Zvonimir Durcevic on LinkedIn.