If you have decided you need to have a web application developed and you’ve decided to hire a programming service provider, one of the first things you need to do is select a Product Owner because their role is crucial for the success of the whole undertaking.
Who is a Product Owner? It is a person on the part of the Customer, who is basically responsible for the whole project. The selection of the Product Owner is one of the key steps that should be taken by the customer. It can be someone chosen from the staff or employed especially for this position.
PO accepts the consequent phases of the undertaking and checks whether all actions are going in accordance with the schedule. If you do not appoint one person responsible for the development of the web application, the undertaking will become chaotic and it may take a lot longer to complete it and its functionalities may not be compatible with your expectations. That is why there must be someone, who will keep the pulse on everything from the start to the finish.
The Product Owner should know exactly what features and functionalities the web application needs to have from the future user’s perspective. PO should closely cooperate with the provider and discuss the company’s needs with them, as well as take decisions which ideas should be implemented and which are unnecessary. PO should also determine the schedule of the web software development and then verify if all phases are completed within the deadlines set. PO informs the customer about the course of the project and provides the explanations if needed.
As the role of the Product Owner is so essential for the success of the whole project, this person should be carefully selected. PO should have the knowledge necessary to take decisions on the layout and functionalities of the app, which is why the engineers are often appointed for this position, as the technical knowledge is very important. In addition, PO should also possess organizational and communication skills so that they are able to plan the whole undertaking and cooperate with the people, who have different personalities, as well as resolve the problems.