Product Owner Working Group

Stakeholders:
Project Managers
Current and Future Product Owners Hesburgh Libraries

Team Sponsor: Kelly McNally
Date: 09/09/2019

Members of the PROJECT TEAM
Owner: Rebecca Leneway
Members: Mikala Narlock, Sara Weber, Adam Heet, Don Brower, Melissa Harden, Lauren Ajamie, Anna Michelle Martinez-Montavon, Miranda VanNevel, Nastia Guimaraes

Team Charge
The team’s charge is to improve and enhance the Product Owner experience at Hesburgh Libraries for current and future Product Owners. Members of the Product Owner Working Group will analyze current Product Owner processes to identify opportunities and gaps and develop and communicate clearly defined Product Owner responsibilities. Active Product Owners will provide an in depth review of their experience as Product Owners and participate in biweekly working meetings, assist with information collection and analysis, and document development and review as needed.

Phase 1
The Phase 1 charge of the Product Owner Working Group is to collaboratively develop formal documentation and job aids to improve and enhance the Product Owner experience in the Libraries.
Phase 2
The Phase 2 charge of the Product Owner Working Group is to promote a collective understanding of the Product Owner Role within the Libraries and to recommend language for a product owner component of position descriptions and performance evaluation criteria for active and future Product Owners.
Phase 3
The Phase 3 charge of the Product Owner Working Group is to develop a formal process for Product Owner onboarding and continuous improvement of the Product Owner experience.

Out of Scope
While considered as needing equal attention in the development of a successful framework of organizational ownership, at this time the Product Owner Working Group is not reviewing service or process ownership. These ownership roles will be reviewed in a timely manner in relation to the successful completion of this effort and the Libraries’ reorganization.

Background
In March of 2018, the Project Management Office (PMO) held two open forums to outline the role of the Product Owner (PO), to share the current PO list, and to allow POs and attendees to ask questions. Following these open forums, the PMO put together an in depth Product Owner training session that each of the identified POs was asked to attend. These sessions, held in June of 2018, offered a more detailed explanation of the PO role and identified opportunities for the POs to develop additional skills required for successful product ownership.

A year later, the PMO conducted a formal check in with active POs. Opportunities to improve the PO role as well as the Libraries’ understanding of the PO role were identified. Due to the overwhelming response, the PMO scheduled 2 additional listening sessions. During these two listening sessions an informal SWOT analysis was performed to determine the things that were working for the POs and those areas that could use more focus/support.

After analyzing the feedback, it was determined that the PMO can take an active role to improve and enhance the Product Owner experience in the Libraries. The PMO developed specific goals focused in this area. The PMO’s first goal is to develop a standardized Job Responsibilities Guide (JRG) for the Product Owner role. The PMO quickly realized that the POs should be actively engaged in this process.

At the final listening session the PMO rolled out their goals and ideas and then asked if any of the active POs would be willing to support this effort as part of a working group. Everyone expressed interest.

OBJECTIVES
Phase 1:
1. Revise/Recreate the Product/Service Owner List as the Product Index.
2. Develop formal documentation of the Product Owner process (JRG, glossary, etc.).
3. Develop formal documentation of available Product Owner support (communication, people, tools, financial resources, etc.).
Phase 2
4. Develop a standardized position description component for the Product Owner role.
5. Attain Library-wide understanding of which products require POs.
6. Attain Library-wide understanding of the expectations for Product Owners.
7. Develop consistent evaluation standards for individuals in Product Owner roles.
Phase 3
8. Develop a formal process for PO on-boarding and continuous improvement.

PROJECT MILESTONES and DEADLINES
Phase 1
1. Finalize Team Charge - August 12, 2019
2. Glossary of terms/roles - Progressive Elaboration
3. Review/Update Product/Service Owner List as Product Index. - September, 2019
4. Create JRG (Job Responsibilities Guide) - November, 2019
Phase 2
5. Rollout JRG, including communication standards to the Libraries - February, 2020
6. Provide draft recommendations for performance evaluation criteria - March, 2020
7. Provide draft recommendations for PO responsibilities in position descriptions - March,
2020
Phase 3
8. Develop a formal process for PO on-boarding and continuous improvement. - June, 2020

MEASURES of SUCCESS
Phase 1
1. Complete the development of various documents, seeking Cabinet concurrence where
applicable:
a. Team Charge (Cabinet concurrence required).
b. Glossary
c. Product Index
d. Communication Plan
e. PO Job Responsibilities Guide (Cabinet concurrence required)
Phase 2
2. Rollout Plan Complete
3. Active POs Complete and Using JRG
4. Complete Position Description Recommendation (Cabinet concurrence required)
5. Complete Evaluation Criteria Recommendation (Cabinet concurrence required)
6. Phased Rollout Complete
a. Unit Managers b. Program Directors c. Senior Leadership (Cabinet)
7. Improved PO Awareness Survey Results Phase 3
8. Complete the development of a formal process for PO on-boarding and continuous improvement including Cabinet concurrence.

HIGH LEVEL RISKS
1. Uncertainty about the organizational structure following the 2019 org review.
2. Lack of engagement from the PMO/PO working group members.
3. Lack of active support from supervisors.
4. Lack of active support from administration.
5. Lack of the PMO follow through.

ASSUMPTIONS AND CONSTRAINTS
The assumptions are:
The library administration values the Product Owner model.
The constraints are:
The PMO strives to provide the best and most useful product to the POs and commits to championing everything listed above; however, the final deliverable for the implementation of standardized Position Descriptions and evaluation criteria is not an official implementation, but finalized recommendations to the Cabinet for implementation.
This effort is not reviewing service or process ownership.