Certified Scrum Product Owner Course Agenda
These are the topics cover in class. As with life in general, there is more to do than time to do it, so we have to prioritize to suit the participants’ interest. We also cover many other topics as they come up, some in real time and some in the parking lot section at the end. For any special-interest topics we do not get to, we follow up the class with our list of Agile/Scrum articles.
The class will choose a subset of the following topics to cover. Some are required for certification, some are optional. Participants will make a joint prioritiy decision on which they agree on as most important, just like real-life Product Owners do every day.
Product Ownership
- As a Certified Scrum Product Owner I can describe product ownership so that I am prepared for the lessons in this course
Opening
- As a Course Instructor I can start the course effectively so that the participants will have an idea of what to expect
- As a Product Owner I can explain the underlying principles of Scrum so that I can use Scrum effectively in my work
Scrum Framework
- As a Product Owner I can explain the Scrum framework to others so that I can help educate my organization to its intended use
Importance of Flow
- As a Product Owner I can describe some of the underlying dynamics of Scrum so that I can do my part to create a smooth, valuable flow
Creating the Backlog
- As a Product Owner I can describe Scrum planning so that I can effectively lead the development of my product
Defining the Product
- As a Product Owner I can define a product in Scrum form so that I can plan and direct product development for maximum value
Product Roadmap

- As a Product Owner I can create a four-quadrant roadmap so that I can make long-term plans for my product
User Stories
- As a Product Owner I can create a product backlog of User Stories so that I can communicate the requirements to the Team in an efficient manner
Prioritizing
- As a Product Owner I can prioritize the product backlog so that the Team can build the most valuable features first
Formal Prioritizing Tools
- As a Product Owner I can choose between prioritization tools to help prioritize Stories and themes in my Product Backlog
Estimating
- As a Product Owner I can understand the basics of Agile estimating so that I have confidence in my Team’s estimates
Story Splitting
- As a Product Owner I can split a User Story into smaller stories to make them easier to estimate, understand and fit into a Sprint
Release Planning
- As a Product Owner I can plan a product release so that my organization has confidence to invest in the development
Working with the Team
- As a Product Owner I can work with the Team to build the product so that they maintain a sustainable, high productivity pace
Planning the Sprint
- As a Product Owner I can work with the Team to plan the Sprint so that they can make a reasonable commitment to build the next most valuable stories
Executing the Sprint
- As a Product Owner I can describe the Team’s activities during the Sprint so that I can do my part to help them meet their commitment
- As a Product Owner I can review the work of the Team so that they know which stories are done
Product Backlog Management
- As a Product Owner I can keep the Product Backlog in good shape to help the Development Team maintain a healthy flow
Scaling Scrum Up and Out
- As a Product Owner I describe some commonly used patterns for multi-team products and geographically distributed teams
Where do Stories Come From?
- As a Product Owner I can name at least one way to gather desired features for my product so that I deliver value to my customers
Budget and Finance
- As a Product Owner I can describe alternate ways to finance an Agile product development so that we canavoid the pitfalls of annual budgeting
Portfolio Management
- As a Product Owner I can apply Agile and Scrum concepts to managing the company portfolio to maximize corporate profits
Product Ownership Review
- As a Product Owner I can describe the responsibilities and capabilities of my role to define and execute a strategy for producing value for my organization so that I can do my job effectively
- As a Certified Product Owner I can get answers to other questions about Scrum to help fill gaps in my knowledge
Closing
- As a Course Instructor I can wrap up the course so that participants leave with a firm understanding of Scrum Product Ownership
Homework
- As a class participant I can read two articles to help anchor the concepts from Day One of the class
Opportunities and Challenges (Internal classes only)
- Class discussion of opportunities from and challenges to Agile and Product Ownership in your organization







