According to the PMBOK Guide, project selection is based on the alignment of the project with the organization’s strategic objectives, which include maximizing the business value1. Business value is the net benefit that a project provides to the stakeholders, considering both tangible and intangible factors2. Projects that maximize the business value are more likely to contribute to the organization’s success and sustainability than projects that focus only on duration, revenue, or risk3. References: 1: PMBOK Guide, 7th edition, page 35 2: PMBOK Guide, 7th edition, page 38 3: Project Selection Methods: A Primer for the Project Manager4QUESTION NO: 26
A product owner Goes not regularly attend demonstration ceremonies. As a result, the demonstration ceremonies are constantly rescheduled and the work is impacted in multiple ways. The project manager believes the product owner Is not committed to the project.
What should the project manager have done to avoid this situation?
A. Defined a set of external audits that can expose this situation to the project sponsor
B. Agreed with the product owner on appropriate project governance levels
C. Set a definition of done (DoD) that considers the work as done if not otherwise specified
D. Asked another product owner to attend the demonstrations on behalf of the product owner
Answer: B
According to the PMBOK Guide, project governance is the framework, functions, and processes that guide project management activities in order to create value and meet organizational objectives. Project governance also defines the roles and responsibilities of the project stakeholders, including the product owner, who is the person or group that is responsible for defining and prioritizing the product backlog and accepting the product increments1.
One of the principles of agile project management, as described in the Agile Practice Guide, is to collaborate with customers and stakeholders frequently and throughout the project. This principle implies that the product owner should be actively involved in the project and provide timely feedback and guidance to the project team. The product owner should also attend the demonstration ceremonies, which are events where the project team showcases the product increments to the product owner and other stakeholders and collects their feedback2.
Therefore, the project manager should have agreed with the product owner on appropriate project governance levels, which means defining the expectations, commitments, and communication channels between the project team and the product owner. This would have helped to avoid the situation where the product owner does not regularly attend the demonstration ceremonies and causes delays and disruptions to the project. By agreeing on the project governance levels, the project manager and the product owner could have established a mutual understanding of the value and importance of the demonstration ceremonies and the product owner’s role and responsibility in them.
[:, 1: Project Management Institute. (2023). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Seventh Edition. Newtown Square, PA: Author., 2: Project Management Institute. (2023). Agile Practice Guide. Newtown Square, PA: Author., , ]
